The Classics Theatre Project got a bit romantic on us with its current production. The company opened Same Time, Next Year on April 11 at the Stone Cottage Theater in Addison. The story itself is a conundrum as Doris and George find the perfect companion in each other but are married to other people. Despite the infidelity, director Jackie L. Kemp confounds any judgment by giving the audience a couple that’s hard not to fall for.
Real life spouses Madyson Manning and Andrew Manning play Doris and George, a couple who meet every year in the same suite at a country inn in Northern California. Bernard Slade’s play follows the couple for a quarter-century in five year increments beginning in 1950. The two share some hot and heavy action while also confiding in each other about their own personal lives including each other’s spouse and their collective children.
Slade’s play never passes judgment on the characters. Instead, it almost defied it as these two were made for each other. Instead, through the situation and dialogue, the play was tender with their knowledge of each other’s home lives. Along the way, they shared cheerful stories about their spouses along with tragedy and remorse.
Unsurprisingly, the Mannings’ chemistry was innate. The two moved in a distinct and compatible rhythm. Their familiarity added an emotional depth to Doris and George.
Andrew Manning was commanding as the romantic George. First, his physical presence gave a mix of likeable, bumbling vigor with a quiet stoicism. His portrayal of George felt wholehearted and relatable. Manning also carried the role with added nuance that bespoke a man who seemed to only come alive and express himself at these yearly reunions.
As Doris, Madyson Manning was a charming delight. Her character had a full arc of growth and in each graduated scene, Manning added a new layer to Doris. A confident character to begin with, each scene felt like Manning placed a new puzzle piece in Doris for a more complete picture of who she is.
The show’s slight frustration came in the writing as Slade doesn’t reveal an age until the second act. So if you find yourself doing a lot of math with age, don’t be surprised.
The love these two actors brought to the space at Stone Cottage was undeniable and infectious. In its own strange way, Same Time, Next Year was a refreshing look at love despite the fact that the story centers on two characters cheating on their families. Kemp and his two actors evoked a lament for these two whose paths kept them apart.
The show runs through May 11.
–Rich Lopez