EAT YOUR HEART OUT
A Comedy by Nick Hall
Directed by Mike Hathaway
Produced by Onstage in Bedford
Reviewed by Glynda Welch
Director Mike Hathaway credits this reviewer with his decision to stage Eat Your Heart Out at Onstage in Bedford. As a member of an online play reading group during COVID quarantine, I placed Nick Hall’s comedy from the late 1970s on our board for discussion. Hathaway was intrigued enough with this sweet comedy to remember it when quarantine ended and theater returned.
Set in a series of restaurants differentiated only by tablecloth changes, Eat Your Heart Out follows the life and career of waiter/actor Charlie. Kyle Story is definitely your host for the evening. Hopeful after every audition, resigned to the waiter jobs that support him in between, and introducing you to all the various patrons who pass through the restaurants, he makes you want Charlie to get his big break.
In addition to Charlie, there are four recurring characters. Doris Potter, the sweet young ingénue, is played deftly by Emma Quigley. David Carter played by Mike Hathaway, is a workaholic husband happy in his rut. Ann Carter, played by Suzy Dotson, is a wife ready for a change. Harry, Charlie’s waiter/actor friend, is played by Kyle Gentry. Fortunately for the audience, each of these actors also gets a chance to shine in smaller moments as other patrons, ranging from young lovers making out instead of ordering, to an off-beat astrologer, to a starving man who is unable to get his waiter’s attention.
For a production company the simple set is one of the best features of this script. However, the simple set did require some extra work for many other designers including Costume Designer Spencer Bovaird, Wig Designer Nick Lynch-Voris, Props Designer Dawn Blasingame, Lighting Designer Adam Livingston, and Sound Designer Mike Hathaway. They used their talents to turn Set Designer Jim Scroggins' set of 3 tables and 6 chairs into five different restaurants and four talented actors into an array of distinct characters. Special kudos to Stage Manager Adam Livingston who not only kept props circulating to facilitate set changes, but actually became an onstage character briefly to do so.
It is somehow very appropriate that EAT YOUR HEART OUT should be produced in 2023. Two things that COVID quarantine took from us were live theater and dining out. This sweet show gives both back in a totally delightful way. I could rave about every actor in this ensemble, but I don’t want to give too much away. This show runs through February 19, so don’t delay getting your tickets.
Audience Rating: PG, mild sexual innuendo
Accessible Seating: Available
Hearing Devices: Not Available
Sensory Friendly Performance: N/A
Production Sound Level: Comfortable volume level
Noises or Visuals to Prepare For: N/A
Experience Live Theater!
Glynda Welch
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