Written by A.R. GURNEY
The play is set in the dining room of a typical well-to-do household, the place where families assemble daily for breakfast and dinner and for any and all special occasions. The action consists of a mosaic of interrelated scenes—some funny, some touching, some rueful—which, taken together, create an in-depth portrait of the upper-middle-class WASP.
The actors change roles, personalities and ages with virtuoso skill as they portray a wide variety of characters, from little boys to stern grandfathers, and from giggling teenage girls to Irish housemaids. Each vignette introduces a new set of people and events; a father lectures his son on grammar and politics; a boy returns from boarding school to discover his mother’s infidelity; a senile grandmother doesn’t recognize her own sons at Christmas dinner; etc. Dovetailing swiftly and smoothly, the varied scenes coalesce, ultimately, into a theatrical experience of exceptional range, compassionate humor and abundant humanity.
Run time of The Dining Room is approximately 2 hours with one 15 minute intermission.
