by Marc Camoletti / adapted by Robin Hawdon
Directed by Christie Vela
Produced by Stage West, Fort Worth, TXSeptember 2018 Scenic Design: Michelle Harvey
Lighting Design: Aaron Johansen
Costume Design: Ryan D. Schaap
“A farce, with all its slamming doors and twisted plot lines and mistaken identities, can be a very difficult thing to pull off well. Even if the actors can keep it all straight, the audience may not always come along for the ride. Thankfully, Don’t Dress for Dinner at Stage West is a madcap marathon that never stumbles… Mint green trim zigzags around Michelle Harvey’s bi-level set, which features six entrances and plenty of slammable doors.”
“…I even laughed at the set. The attention to detail was outrageous. The show is set in the 80s. Enter the Trac lighting and the exposed beams and Austin Stone. Through every door you saw the room behind, not just a flat positioned to cover the back stage but the room or the garden or what else. There were six entrances on this rather small stage, but Michell Harvey’s design was such that it never felt crowded. I have been in other ‘intimate’ spaces where there is a lot demanded of a static set and the areas seem to be together and the actors tend to have to avoid the front row patrons. Harvey’s set, although small and very busy, was free flowing and effective.”