Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Tony-winner Kara Young shines in TABLE 17, Douglas Lyons’ appealing new rom-com play

• By drediman
• September 8, 2024
• No Comments

This weekend, Douglas Lyons’ new play Table 17 opened Off-Broadway courtesy of MCC Theater in Hell’s Kitchen. Headlined by the delectably charismatic Kara Young — a recent and deserved Tony-winner for her tremendous performance in last season’s triumphant revival of Ossie Davis’s Purlie Victorious — the world premiere play harkens to the days when rom-coms were the soup du jour, telling the reconciliatory love story between ex-romantic partners Jada (Young) and Dallas (Biko Eisen-Martin).

A few years ago, Lyons made his Broadway playwriting debut with Chicken & Biscuits, which while amusing, left many theater-goers underwhelmed by its sprawl and forceful joviality. Luckily, his follow-up play at MCC Theater is vastly more cohesive and compelling, while maintaining the former’s appealing breeziness. Indeed, in just under 90 minutes of late summer entertainment, Table 17 goes down way to easily — and I wouldn’t have it any other way. In a refreshing change of pace, the work is a hopeful and heartwarming piece of theater about the redeeming and life-saving power of love. Although seemingly straightforward and a tad predictable, the play craftily develops its characters, keeping audiences invested — and just as importantly, entertained — every step of the way.

Playing out in an immersive cabaret-like environment (the creative set design is by Jason Sherwood), director Zhailon Levingston — who also directed the smash hit production of Cats: The Jellicle Ball at PAC NYC — openly invites audience engagement. Yet again, Young demonstrates her star power, imbuing Jada with instant likability and sassiness to spare. As her ex-boyfriend Dallas, the smooth and handsome Eisen-Martin provides a grounded contrast to Young’s expressive stage presence. In a variety of roles, the versatile Michael Rishawn is comic gold, proving that he’s a character actor of the first order.

RECOMMENDED

TABLE 17
Off-Broadway, Play
MCC Theater
1 hour, 25 minutes (without an intermission)
Through September 29