BWW Reviews: SOCIAL SECURITY is Frothy Fun at Derby Dinner

In 2015, it isn't easy to get people into a theatre. Who wants to make the drive and pay the ticket price for a light, late twentieth-century comedy when the entire series of "Friends" and "Everybody Loves Raymond" is on Netflix? "Social Security," written by Andrew Bergman and currently playing at Derby Dinner Playhouse, is the essence of those sitcoms brought to life. Is it provocative, complex and moving? No. Is it silly, lighthearted and a lot of fun? Absolutely.

The play opens on late 1980s Manhattan apartment as married gallery owners Barbara (Tina Jo Wallace) and David (David Myers) react to the news that Barbara's sister and her husband are dropping by to "discuss something." Manically pondering the reason for their impending visit, Barbara fusses about the apartment while David uses a myriad of zany one-liners to calm her down.

This opening scene, which wasn't more than ten minutes, held up as the best part of the show. Well-timed and witty, the scene moved along briskly thanks to the sharp script and dynamic performances by the two actors. As Barbara, Wallace especially shines in this scene and others and gives a performance that infuses the script with the punch it needs.

The narrative picks up when Barbara's uptight sister Trudy (Janet Essenpreis) and her equally uptight husband Martin (Cary Wiger) show up disclosing the news that they must travel to Buffalo to rescue their sexually unleashed daughter from her own degeneration.

Essenpreis and Wiger are delightful as the stodgy couple, though Wiger perhaps errs a bit too much on the side of caricature. While the play of course does not shy away from archetype, a touch more nuance may have been appreciated in his performance. Essenpreis dominates the scene, however, and also reveals that because she and her husband are leaving town, Barbara and Trudy's elderly mother, who until now has been living with Trudy, must stay with Barbara.

In the second act, we meet the mother, Sophie (Rita Thomas), and watch with guilty amusement as she is courted by an even more elderly art dealer (J.R. Stuart). While enjoyable to watch, the act is far less engaging than the first and seems written only for laughs as opposed to storytelling. Thomas and Stuart are both enchanting as the star-crossed lovers, with Thomas particularly deserving of every laugh she gets with her blend of timing and physical comedy.

The third act is by far the strongest. Not to give anything away, but in this act, we finally start going somewhere. Bergman's script at last does not seem aimed at getting laughs but rather at addressing the very real - and sometimes funny - love issues of humans at any age. Alas, it is also a short act, and what hope there may have been for a more robust conclusion peters out as Bergman's script, of course, ends with a joke.

Nonetheless, the show certainly makes for an entertaining night out. The fun onstage is nicely complemented by Lee Buckholz's scenic design. The layout and decoration of the in-the-round apartment is unassailably detailed and unique, adeptly capitalizing on the limitations of the room. However, the perimeter's punctuation of hanging empty frames did obstruct the view and became slightly tiresome to peep through. Fortunately, director Bekki Jo Schnieder's innovative staging kept this from occurring too often. Her energetic movement often refreshed the piece and prevented it from falling flat when it seemed likely to do so if left in less-capable hands.

No issue of script or set though is to say that this play is bad. It's not bad. It's actually very funny and well-executed. But all three acts seem like episodes in the same series of a sitcom, linked by characters and situations but lacking a solid narrative drive. All six actors carry the material admirably, but the script they're working with simply doesn't hold up to the comedy they strive for; the primary issue here lies with Bergman's text, not with Derby Dinner's production. But due to the company's exceptional production value and stunning array of talent, this frothy romp is impossible not to enjoy.

"Social Security" runs at Derby Dinner Playhouse at 525 Marriott Drive in Clarksville through June 21. Tickets are $37-$46 and are available at derbydinner.com or by calling 812-288-8281.

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