MCC’s “Table 17” Serves Up a Fabulous Meal of Funny Performances on Some Pretty Flimsy Plates – front mezz junkies, Theater News

The Off-Broadway Theatre Review: MCC Theater’s Table 17

By Ross

“No shit, Kathy!” is the internal dialogue response flung out hilariously true into the audience by the anxious and magnificent Jada, tossed at her unseen therapist as she tries to figure out the exact right outfit she should wear to a dinner invitation from her ex-fiance, Dallas. She speaks directly to our own inner dialogue, questioning her sanity (or insanity) regarding the caught-off-guard invite. Going for dinner with her ex-fiance feels like a bad idea set-up of epic proportions, or a really good one, if the feelings of love still hang in the dancefloor air.

We are then given a similar engaging trip over to the inner voice of Dallas, as he too prepares for the odd reunion that was his idea. It’s not clear from his cocky confession what his true purpose is with this reach-out. Still, these two monologues are as funny and whip-sharp as can be in their delivery, although not particularly overflowing with depth or intricacies around the exploration of love, romance, and the bigger picture. That’s pretty much the sum total of the dinner bill in MCC Theater‘s determined and generally funny Table 17, as written by Douglas Lyons (Chicken and Biscuits) and directed by Zhailon Levingston (off-Broadway’s Cats – The Jellical Ball), and without the wildly talented Kara Young (Broadway’s Purlie Victorious….; MTC’s Cost of Living) showing up for this mad rendevous, I’m positive this would have been yet another mildly bland dinner served up on some pretty flimsy plates in a nicely designed fab New York restaurant du jour.

But with the always fascinating Young meticulously and hilariously portraying the flawed Jada, the play shows up and delivers some finely prepared cocktails and comedy in an otherwise simplistic shallow underpinning. She has the knack of bringing even the most basic thing to life, flawlessly and funny with every gesture and expression she makes. Matching her on every level, Biko Eisen-Martin (MCC’s Soft) as her ex-fiance, Dallas, balances Young’s strong and comic physicality with a solidness and strength that keeps Table 17 from tipping over under the weight of Young’s masterful delivery. The play also finds flavor in their third, the surprisingly flexible and chiseled Michael Rishawn (Broadway’s Ain’t No Mo‘) as a frustrated, single, gay restaurant worker, an overconfident straight bartender, and a determined flight attendant coworker of Jada’s who wants their work relationship to become something far more intimate than friends. His strongly built work delivers the jokes, and even when it feels almost too over-the-top stereotypical and obvious, his expertise and strong formations do the trick, helping the piece move along at a good solid pace.

In the beginning, we aren’t given any clue as to why Dallas has reached out after nearly two years since their engagement was broken off, so we are as curious as Jada is when she walks in the door of the restaurant and is greeted by that sassy host with the most, hidden under the finely crafted costumes by Devario D. Simmons (Broadway’s Thoughts of a Colored Man). It’s all nervous jitters and false fronts for both Jada and Dallas, served up with the wildly hilarious appeal of all three of these expert comedians. But with some sharp cuts to earlier times, the story of their journey is played out and the unraveling is displayed for all to see – and it isn’t that pretty, their uncoupling. It’s delivered with determination on that stage, designed casually by Jason Sherwood (NYTW’s Endlings), with similarly themed lighting by Ben Stanton (Broadway’s Mary Jane) and sound design by Christopher Darbassie (O’Henry Prod’s Uncle Vanya), but it floats a bit on the surface, like a garnish on an expensive cocktail. Pretty and festive, but not really there for much beyond decoration.

They meet-cute and smooth, in a manner that feels rushed and not altogether convincing, connecting across the room in a flash, coming together and hoping the delicious dirty dancing will never stop. But what makes this somewhat cheesy formula of flashbacks and silly lines work is the way they each reveal themselves to us and each other. Young magically finds the perfect flavor for this woman, in the incredibly expressive physicality that reminds us of old-time comedians working hard for their money. It’s a master class of comedy, much like what she delivered in Purlie Victorious, but it’s also the heart and the soul that lives inside her troubled Jada that elevates it beyond the quick hilarious moves. We watch her get lost in need, responding in self-destructive ways to her pain and hurt. Dallas does the same, seeing the mistakes made, and finding a way to understand them before our very eyes. His road is not as well written or delivered, but we can’t help but feel for them, much like the jaded waiter does eventually after disappearing into thin air from their locked visuals.

MCC Theater’s Table 17 plays itself forward and back with comedic charm, weaving itself in and around the audience members sitting at little cocktail tables lit up from the inside. It adds a little playfulness to this awkward reunion but sometimes the running between tables gets in the way of the time-wandering action. Playwright Lyons asks for immersive interaction from the audience, time and time again, as he breaks the walls down with questions posed. He wants audible reactions from the crowd, but it doesn’t always triumph, giving off a subtle feeling of desperation in its determination. They want their choices validated, and their actions supported, and if the play and production were stronger, the response might have been greater or more overwhelmingly energizing. Or at least more passionate. We love what Young and her costars serve up at Table 17, but like many a-fine restaurants these days demanding reservations just to get a seat, the food delivered is basically fine, the bill too high, the excitement forced, but ultimately, it’s the performance of it all that makes it a fun night out.