REVIEW: Theatre Aquarius’ Fully Committed playfully satirizes the world of fine dining
iPhoto caption: Photo by Dahlia Katz.
Beneath the glitz and glamour of Manhattan’s top restaurant, with its VIP-filled dining rooms and frenetic kitchens, lies the humble reservations office. Home to Sam (Gavin Crawford), an out-of-work actor who mans the reservation lines while awaiting word on his latest audition, it’s a space where family tensions and career angst collide with a whirlwind of opinionated staff and demanding customers.
Taking place over the course of one shift and told entirely through a nonstop series of phone calls (both sides of which are voiced by Crawford’s Sam), Theatre Aquarius’ production of Becky Mode’s Fully Committed is a 90-minute, one-man race through a lighthearted satire of the world of fine dining and those within it. Although the restaurant is never named, we learn that its particular brand of molecular gastronomy features edible dirt garnishes and plenty of dry ice, while its guest list contains an array of real and fictionalized New York elite, all ready to air their grievances about everything from a missing reservation to the harshness of the restaurant’s lighting sconces. Despite being firmly situated in its NYC setting, the play’s references and gibes landed well with a contemporary Canadian audience, tapping into a broader pop culture interest in the high-pressure world of haute cuisine.
The play’s text and its back-and-forth premise make for an excellent showcase of Crawford’s substantial comedic chops (audiences may recognize him from CBC Radio’s Because News, as well as TV’s Run the Burbs, Baroness Von Sketch Show, and This Hour Has 22 Minutes). Sam’s callers range from his father, to his acting agent, to fellow restaurant denizens (exasperated maître d’Jean Claude and an unnamed, uncouth head chef are particular standouts), and a seemingly never-ending stream of tourists, celebrities, and personal assistants. It’s a mix that provides ample opportunity for Crawford to highlight the versatility of his accent, vocal, and movement work. Each of the play’s 35 characters are clear and distinct, even those who only appear for a line or two.
Steven Gallagher’s direction shines too. Crawford’s constant motion makes excellent use of space, travelling from a bright red landline at one end of the set (the head chef’s hotline) to a tattered armchair at the other (the only spot in the basement that has cell signal, and the site of some of the production’s best physical comedy). While undoubtedly part of the play’s humour, this movement also helps to guide the audience through the different spheres of Sam’s personal and professional lives.
While the show’s comedy may be its defining feature, Fully Committed’s more earnest narrative threads provide a grounding throughline and emotional core. Sam’s exasperation at the outsized demands of his job grows heavier when we learn that he’s being forced to work over Christmas rather than spend the holidays with his siblings and recently widowed father. And his lack of acting work stings all the more when we see his agent’s offhand dismissals and his falsely humble friend’s success. While the play is at times almost breathless in its nonstop busyness, Crawford’s balanced delivery across these emotional registers tempers its occasionally frantic energy, pulling back from the incessant action to make Sam feel all the more believable, while simultaneously setting the table for a particularly gratifying ending.
Crawford’s dynamic performance is supported by a strong attention to detail across the production’s creative team. Verne Good’s sound design, involving a wide range of technically precise ring- and hang-up tones, flows seamlessly into Crawford’s performance, prompting dialogue and movement and occasionally foreshadowing details about the caller.
Set designer Michael Gianfrancesco has created a basement office which is equal parts cosy and confining, with the playing space contained by exposed brick walls covered in the detritus of the restaurant and Sam’s life within it. A crowded bulletin board, shelves full of abandoned crockery and kitchen equipment, and staff lockers covered in posters add to the atmosphere. A narrow spiral staircase (meant to bridge the gap between the basement and the restaurant above) is also a fun touch, and having Sam initially appear by descending to stage level heightens the impression of being underground.
Steve Lucas’ lighting design adds to the basement ambiance, creating both Sam’s warmly lit workspace and the room’s dingier corners. (It’s worth noting that for much of this team, Aquarius’ production marks a return to Mode’s Manhattan — Gallagher, Crawford, Gianfrancesco, and Good all worked on the Grand Theatre’s 2020 production of the play.)
Ultimately, Fully Committed is an impressively precise work of technical skill, collaboration, and coordination — and it’s also just plain entertaining. Aquarius’ production is vibrantly comedic fare that will appeal to foodies and non-foodies alike.
Fully Committed runs at Theatre Aquarius in Hamilton until April 12. Tickets are available here.
Intermission reviews are independent and unrelated to Intermission’s partnered content. Learn more about Intermission’s partnership model here.
Charlotte Lilley
Charlotte Lilley (she/her) is a writer currently living in Hamilton, ON. She holds a BA from Western University, a Master of Applied Literary Arts from the Memorial University of Newfoundland (Grenfell), and currently studies at McMaster University. Her writing has appeared in Horseshoe Literary Magazine, Prelude (Calgary Phil), the Stratford Beacon Herald, and elsewhere. Charlotte’s writing and academic work explores speculative fiction, sustainability, and hope. www.charlottemlilley.com
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