Marc Camoletti wrote 40 plays in his lifetime, despite waiting until age 35 to pen his first.
Theatres around the world have mounted countless productions of the late Parisian playwright’s work, including his most famous play, Boeing-Boeing.
And then there’s Don’t Dress For Dinner.
One needn’t know the entire Camoletti canon to appreciate it.
This theatrical bedroom farce is so cleverly written, it’s bound to leave directors salivating.
But all that saliva can easily muddy a challenging, fast-paced play.
Last Friday, Don’t Dress For Dinner opened at Gateway Theatre under the direction of Ashlie Corcoran and Heather Cant.
Thankfully, both have full control of their salivary glands, delivering a superb production that offers much to appreciate.
The story begins in the Paris home of Bernard (Todd Thomson) and Jacqueline (Alison Deon). Bernard has planned a weekend with his mistress, Suzanne (Krista Colosimo), while his wife is away.
Bernard’s plans should be foolproof — a personal chef is booked to prepare a gourmet dinner, and his friend Robert (Kirk Smith) is also set to arrive as an alibi.
Confusion quickly sets in, as Jacqueline cancels her plans upon hearing Robert — her secret lover — is coming over.
A series of mix-ups forces the chef to pretend she’s a mistress, then someone’s niece.
The real mistress becomes the chef, but can’t cook. Alibis are changed and traded.
All this chaos and physical comedy demands precise timing, and this cast delivers with enthusiasm.
A skillful and quick Tess Degenstein is a standout as a chef easily bribed to participate in dishing phoney baloney.
As Bernard, an energetic Thomson proves a worthy anchor throughout, even turning the unexpected on opening night — a broken doorknob — into a laugh-out-loud moment.
Deon’s Jacqueline is equally entertaining and Smith, as Robert, deftly delivers lines that would leave most tongue-tied.
Opening night had a quiet beginning — some voices were hard to hear — but that soon changed.
Camoletti’s ample number of door-slamming surprises coupled with sharp direction makes for a fun and entertaining two-hour farce.
It’s satisfying throughout, even if you can’t keep up.
Don’t Dress For Dinner runs until April 23 on Gateway Theatre’s MainStage. Tickets, $20 to $45, at
GatewayTheatre.com or 604-270-1812.
