Sunday, August 8, 2010

FOUR STARS A LA CARTE By Beverly Creasey

Clearly you have to be out of your mind to work in a restaurant. (That’s experience talking: You’re hired as a waitress and when the cook doesn’t show, you’re slinging hash in a 102 degree kitchen. I quit.) Becky Mode must have put in her time because she’s written a hilarious play about a tony New York eatery and the insanity on the other side of the table. FULLY COMMITTED (playing through Aug. 29th at the MDC stage in Brighton) doesn’t refer to an involuntary stay at Bellevue. It’s restaurant lingo for “no reservations, we’re all booked up.”

Thirty-six wild and wooly characters in FULLY COMMITTED are all gloriously played by Gabriel Kuttner. The transformations happen in the blink of an eye: He’s the benighted reservation guy. He’s the bully of a chef. He’s the officious Maitre D, the super busy busboy…and the impossible customers. Kuttner’s tour de force is a must see this summer. The Charles River is gorgeous at sunset, viewed from the old Publick Theatre digs (opposite WBZ). The mosquitoes have turned in for the evening (No bites whatsoever!) and the breeze off the water is heavenly on a sultry night.

Steven Barkhimer has directed with wings on his heels – the whole performance is over in 75 minutes. FULLY COMMITTED serves up the laughter 7 p.m. Thurs-Sun. You could even have dinner after the show. No reservations. I give it four stars.