Saturday Morning Movie Club

Br Dan Filowitz

Directed by Jen McGee

Produced by The Disciples of Clyde

At Stage Left Theatre

Funny single relationship play a hoot!

The Saturday Morning Movie Club is playwright Dan Filowitz’s take on the 30something’s relationship problems. Jonah (Whitney Derendinger) is a detail-oriented guy who resists change in his life. Routine rules his life as he has days for Chinese food with his moved-in girlfriend Sarah (Nora Best) and Saturdays are for a meeting of the Saturday Morning Movie Club hosted by Jonah with his long-time pals Drew (Adam Miller-Batteau) and Greg (Glenn Fancher). This is a moving-watching, beer-drinking and dirty-talking gathering. Guys only—pals only. It is a key part of Jonah’s ordered and predictable life.

His routine is challenged when he falls madly in love with Sarah—a sexy 30something woman. Tuesdays is her special day yet since she has moved in with Jonah, she wants to spend more time with him including becoming a member of the Movie Club. The guys have a strict “no girls’ policy. Tension mounts for Jonah as the guys say ‘no’ and Sarah pushes Jonah to be a member. This relationship comedy is laced with generational humor and movie and music trivia. It speaks to the contentment many 30seomething feels towards their personal independence. Yet they also want the companionship of both their old pals and the love of their lives. We see Jonah’s trauma as these two desires move into conflict. We laugh and empathize with Jonah, Sarah and the boys as they workout their dilemma.

The cast offers some terrific comic turns, especially from Glen Fancher. Whitney Derendinger deftly depicts the nerdy worrier whose live is in minor crisis. Laughs abound in this cute quirky comedy. It is worth seeing, especially for the single 30something crowd.

Recommended

Tom Williams

At Stage Left Theatre, 3408 N. Sheffield Ave., Chicago, IL, Call 773-680-9736, Tickets $12, – $10 students,, Thursdays thru Saturdays at 8 pm, Running time is 1 hour, 45 minutes with intermission.