It’s sentimental, but then so are the Irish.
It’s hilarious, because they can turn a phase into laughter like no group on the planet. And it’s laced with tragedy, as is their history.
Northlight Theatre presents “Chapatti,” a two-person play by Christian O’Reilly set in present-day Dublin and given its world premiere in the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie through April 19. Directed by Northlight’s artistic director BJ Jones, it stars Chicago favorites John Mahoney and the sweet-faced Peggy Slusher.
He, Dan, seems to be a widower. At any rate, he nursed Martha, the love of his life, until she died of breast cancer. He visits her grave often and his only companion is his dog Chapatti, named after flatbread Dan once enjoyed in an Indian restaurant. For company, he takes his very healthy pooch to the vet for unnecessary check-ups.
She, Betty, though married once briefly, is a nurse who earns her living caring for a cranky old woman, whose only companion is a pampered cat named Prudence. (Remember that name.) Betty’s companions are numerous kittens, which she takes to the vet in hopes of finding at least some of the cats a good home. She is particularly fond of one she named Indiana.
The old lady, the vet, Chapatti, the kittens and various neighbors are invisible to the audience, but believe me, you don’t have to be Irish to envision them in this touching production. For that, credit the talents of the two actors and Jones’ deft direction.
Dan and Betty “meet cute,” bumping into each other on their way in and out of the vet’s office. She takes a shine to him, though he at first is oblivious. His loneliness is so painful that he tries to hang himself. Meanwhile, she sees immediately that they might be good companions or even possibly lovers, if they could ever connect.
The laughter begins in earnest when Prudence is run over by a car. That doesn’t sound funny, but the antics of Dan and Betty trying to shield the old lady from the loss are side-splitting.
When Betty notices the noose in Dan’s place, she becomes determined to convince him that life is worth living. She invites him to dinner and wears a sexy red dress, which despite her ample frame, draws a silent “wow” from Dan when he sees her. Slusher has, by the way, chorus girl legs.
Her soliloquy on love is heart-wrenching. But will it convince Dan to choose life? You have to see the play to find out, but it is well worth watching these two veterans spin out this poignant tale. You’ll laugh and even get a tear in your eye, but the Irish trade in that bittersweet currency.
The play has one flaw, but it’s serious. Dan speaks of a man who also shows up at Martha’s grave, who is the husband and father of the children she deserted to be with Dan. That comes out of the blue near the end of the show and should have been explained much earlier.
“Chapatti” is a production of Northlight Theatre and the Galway Arts Festival. It is performed without intermission Tuesdays through Sundays through April 19 at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. Call 847-673-6300 or visit Northlight’s website for more information.
