The Receptionist
By Adam Bock
Directed by Joanie Schultz
At Steep Theatre, Chicago
Dark comedy reveals company’s true business practices
Adam Bock’s dark comedy, The Receptionist, features terrific work from Cheryl Roy as the possessive proprietary company receptionist, Beverly, who keeps the Northeast Office functioning as she handles the incessantly ring phones and her co-workers romantic troubles. This 80 minute slice-of-corporate-life comedy shows Roy’s comedic talent as well as Caroline Neff’s (Lorraine) comic take on her search for love and affection.
The routine of daily office life turns strange when Mr. Dart (Peter Moore), from the Central Office, arrive to question Mr. Raymond’s (Peter Esposito) “business practices.” Without giving away too much let me say that the cruel business practices by the corporation become a cautionary tale about how institutions can set aside ethics and cruel behavior for the goals of the company. Is the company a government agency or a private company with a security contract or what?
The dramatic shift from comic corporate life to ominous vicious ‘business’ practices is smoothly handled that finds terror being exchanged for cute everyday trivial concerns. This is a powerful little play that speaks volumes. Cheryl Roy’s performance is worth the ticket price.
Recommended
Tom Williams
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
For more info checkout The Receptionist page at theatreinchicago.com
At Steep Theatre, 1115 W. Berwyn, Chicago, IL, call 312-458-0722, www.steeptheatre.com, tickets $20 – $22, Thursdays thru Saturdays at 8 pm, running time 80 minutes without intermission, through May 19, 2012