Booze and pot lower inhibitions, loosen tongues, and reveal cracks in the fifteen-year-long friendship of a quartet of 30somethings in Michael Perlman’s At The Table, a Road Theatre Company Los Angeles Premiere that proves as edge-of-your-seat compelling as it is provocatively button-pushing.

Salt-of-the-earth Nate (Christian Prentice), homo-neurotic Elliot (Ray Paolantonio), alpha male Stuart (Justin Okin), and unapologetic people-pleaser Lauren (Cherish Monique Duke), aka Stuart’s girlfriend (and the group’s sole person of color, not to mention female), have been besties since their college days, a through-thick-and-thin bond that’s been solidified over the years by a series of annual get-togethers at Nate’s parents’ country home during which cell phones, the Internet, texting, and Facebook are strictly forbidden, the better to ensure that (in Nate’s words) “when we’re here, we’re here.”

Joining the foursome this May 2017 weekend are outspoken feminist Chris (Avery Clyde), who’s been Elliot’s friend since eighth grade but is somehow meeting his college chums for the first time, and suave African-American Nicholas (Blake Young-Fountain), invited by work colleague Lauren in hopes that he and Elliot just might hit it off because hey, they both like men.

It doesn’t take long for Stuart to what he does best, rile folks up, by positing that pro-lifers just might have a point in opposing abortion, a claim that not only earns him Chris’s ire (she turns out to be the deputy director of a major New York women’s rights group) but her admonition that “the terms of the conversation are controlled by who is invited to the table” and since the issue being discussed concerns neither men’s bodies nor their lives, “you’re not invited to that particular table.”

And this is just the first indication that this particular weekend in the country might not be as smooth sailing as those that have come before.

Then comes intermission, after which not only has a presidential election taken place (not referred to but informing the tone and outcome of Perlman’s 2017 rewrite of his 2015 off-off-Broadway comedy-drama) but one major Act One player has headed off to parts unknown and a pair of newbies–biracial ingenue Sophie (Jacqueline Misaye) and perky gay twink Leif (Nick Marcone)–have arrived to stir the melting pot as Lauren turns from active participant to near-silent observer, or at least at first.

It’s hard to think of another recent play with more on its plate than At The Table as topics of race, sex, and gender (and who exactly has the right to opine on each) provide plenty of food for rapid-fire, authentic, often simultaneous dialog that never sounds like bullet points on a pro-con website.

It’s also hard to think of another production with a more electrifyingly spontaneous, authentic, in-sync ensemble cast, seven sensational performances fine-tuned on scenic designer Brian Graves’ exquisitely rendered country home set by actors’ director extraordinaire Judith Moreland.

Prentice’s instantly likable Nate and Okin’s arrogant, entitled Stuart are both terrifically played as is Clyde’s unequivocal women’s rights advocate softened if not silenced by unexpected love and large quantities of liquor and weed.

Young-Fountain’s charismatic, black-consciousness-raising Nicholas, Misaye’s vivacious, empathetic, half-Japanese Sophie, and Marcone’s frisky, upbeat charmer of a Leif (all three absolutely splendid) do significant consciousness raising in matters of race and sexuality.

Most memorable of all are Paolantonio’s Elliot, the year’s cuddliest and most stereotype-defying Grumpy Young Gold Star Gay, and a particularly riveting Duke, taking Lauren from the acquiescent mother-hen glue that holds the group together to the wrench in the works that just might tear them apart.

Derrick McDaniel’s lighting bathes Nate’s country house (and Heath Harper’s years of accumulated props) in a late-spring, early-summer glow, Mary Jane Miller’s costumes are a perfect character fit, and Christopher Moscatiello’s sound design is equally expert.

Audrey Cain, Danny Gomez, Julia Manis, Nthenya Ndunda, Jon Sprik, Anthony Sorrells, Ben Theobald, and Melvin Ward perform on selected alternate cast dates.

At The Table is produced by Tracey Silver, Paolantoniio, Tally McCormack, and Kevin McCorkle. Justin Lord is assistant director and Nina Sallinen and Dolann Adams are assistants to the director. Beth Mack is stage manager.

In a season that’s already entertained, engaged, and energized audiences with The Rescued, Death House, and Friends With Guns, the Road Theatre Company has saved the season’s all-around best for last. Any passionate lover of L.A. theater will want to reserve a place At The Table.

Click here to read my Alternate Cast Performance review.

The Road on Lankershim, 5108 Lankershim Bl., North Hollywood.
www.roadtheatre.org

–Steven Stanley
May 17, 2019
Photos: Lizzy Kimball

Tags: Los Angeles Theater Review, Michael Perlman, The Road Theatre Company