The Receptionist by Adam Bock
Manbites Dog Theater Company, Downtown Durham
2/12-2/28/09 Yes, you already missed it.
I received the flyer for The Receptionist about 2 months ago and was instantly intrigued by the woman at the desk with pens, phones, and staplers at her command. I felt a kinship with her as most of my post-college career has been in similar positions. So I asked Ben, “Can we go?” He said, “Fine” but qualified it with a loud sigh. Undeterred, I bought tickets and we went Friday night.
The acting was fantastic. All the main actors were masters of facial expressions and while I still have no idea why the audience found his opening monologue about fly fishing hilarious, Carl Martin, who played Mr. Raymond, did just fine though he was not quite as appealing as the other three. Marcia Edmundson, who played the receptionist, Beverly, definitely was the star of the evening. Her little “hmms” and other noises were essential for conveying the judgmental, yet good-natured character. She maintained a believable aura of ignorance until the very end, even as she found herself in the harsh light of the central office.