French "Dinner" Served at The Barn

A news release for Ross Valley Players’ “Don’t Dress for Dinner” asks, “What could possibly go wrong when Bernard plans a weekend . . . gourmet dinner with his Parisian mistress in a French farmhouse?” That question is leading with its chin. Almost everything can go wrong in a comedy that depends on whip-fast miscues and misdirection.

“Don’t Dress for Dinner” by French playwright Marc Camoletti was an automatic hit when it opened in Paris, a sequel to his 1962 success, “Boeing Boeing.” “Dinner” continued the misadventures of the womanizing Bernard, who had been pursuing three airline stewardesses in “Boeing” and has since married one of them, Jacqueline. Robert, best man at their wedding, is now Jacqueline’s secret lover. Further complications arise with the arrival of Suzette, the chef who’s come to cater Bernard’s private dinner, and then Suzanne, his actress-model mistress. Throw in a luscious Chanel coat that keeps changing owners, add Suzette’s jealous husband, and the table is set for a lot of action.

First, Bernard has to get his wife out of the house -- easily accomplished because she’s going to go visit her mother. But when she learns that her lover Robert is coming, she calls Mom and begs off. Chef Suzette arrives with a uniform and a menu, but agrees to play Robert’s girlfriend in order to deceive Jacqueline. (This is considered a 200 franc “extra” on the bill; there will be others, with all of the loot tucked into Suzette’s enlarging bosom.)

When Suzanne, the real mistress, arrives to a full, nervous house, she is drafted to go cook dinner, while the real chef continues pretending to be an actress and model. Characters vanish and reappear in the rooms of Bernard’s country home, a converted barn with three sleeping quarters: the hayloft, the cowshed and the piggery. Dinner -- if it can be called that -- will be served in the henhouse.

Director Richard Ryan says Camoletti’s play is “all about sex,” but each move in that direction is thwarted by the delicacies of balancing a tower of falsehoods. Ryan wisely has not required French accents from all the actors. Only one speaks with an accent, and it works. He’s also orchestrated some cleverly timed “asides” from each character and some robust physical humor.

But the play’s mischief-makers suffer from a shortage of savoir faire. They make too many trips to the bar. They have too many sit-downs for explanations. They attack each other awkwardly with domestic implements. They stamp imaginary cockroaches with floor-bruising vigor. More serious, though, they don’t look like wily conspirators or even contemporaries.

David Kester, a veteran of 130 stage productions, plays the duplicitous Bernard, while Tavis Kammet, who’s been acting in the Bay Area for ten years, plays his former best man, Robert. Sondra Putnam is Jacqueline, Bernard’s wife and Robert’s secret lover. (There’s some clever stage business as Jacqueline and Bernard alternate rearranging the sofa cushions.) Melissa Claire is the opportunistic chef, Suzette, with Casey Blair making a late arrival as Suzette’s possibly-dangerous husband, George. The cast surprise here is Marianne Shine as Bernard’s seductive mistress, Suzanne. Shine is the only member to speak with a French accent, but she adds the nuances, body language and humor to make it all seem natural.

On opening night, even though the cast had not yet become an ensemble, it must be said that much of the audience was laughing throughout.

Michael A. Berg designed the time-appropriate costumes, including a break-away maid’s uniform, and Stephen Dietz, with the help of Maurice Chevalier, set up the musical scene breaks.

“Don’t Dress for Dinner” will be at The Barn Theatre in the Marin Art and Garden Center through Oct. 16. Thursday shows are at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturdays’ are at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees are at 2:00 p.m. Ticket prices range from $17 to $25.
For additional information or reservations, call 456-9555 or see www.rossvalleyplayers.com