INACTION OF ‘FRIENDS’ IS RIVETING

Alan Ayckbourn’s “Absent Friends” is either a comedy that fails or a multiple character study that reveals the bone-dry souls of the author’s favorite subject, the English middle class.

The elegantly directed and delicately acted version that opened Wednesday night at the Gaslamp Quarter Theatre prefers to believe the latter. Director Will Simpson has set a Chekhovian pace to a Pinteresque rhythm. We are talking slow, slow, reflective, slow. Yes, the production holds our attention. In fact, we are riveted to the inaction.

At first we watch with bated breath for something to happen. Diana (D’Ann Paton), the wife of a very successful retailer (Miles Barnes), has invited a group of her husband’s close friends and their wives for tea to commiserate with Colin (Paul Nolan), whose fiancee drowned two months ago. The funny thing is that not only do these so-called close friends not care about Colin, they don’t care about each other. And maybe that’s not so funny.

What’s interesting is the barren nature of the characters Simpson and a brilliant cast reveal as the dull tea party plods relentlessly on. Barnes portrays the most successful of the lot as a genuinely unfeeling lout, who goes out of his way to profane any kindness paid him. D’ann Paton is just right as his nearly squashed wife, who puts up with his heart of steel and philandering because being married to a success is what was expected of her.

Patti van Roode is the daffy wife of Gordo the blimp, who as usual is home in bed sick. By the time “Absent Friends” plays itself out, Roode’s flibbertigibbet facade is revealed as a pleasant screen she puts on to hide her deep unhappiness.

James A. Strait and Susan Herder are the other odd couple, he a near-failure, apparently dependent on the kindness of acquaintances, and she an oyster, who, we realize by play’s end with something akin to terror, is totally lacking in a sense of humor. Strait’s portrayal, though, is the least clear. We don’t really get a defined character.

To everyone’s surprise, Colin is beyond his grief and loves to talk about his dead fiancee and show off her photos. In failing to see the disaster of his friends’ lives, Paul Nolan’s Colin points up the consummate irony of their unhappy relationships.

At first one leaves this play thinking it has been a relatively boring two hours. Then a realization sets in that, miraculously, six finely shaded characters have been etched in the memory.

Robert Earl’s expensive-looking interior setting is suspiciously like others we’ve seen here. Matthew Cubitto’s lighting suggests the monotone of these people’s lives, as do Joseph Dana’s costumes.

“ABSENT FRIENDS,” a play by Alan Ayckbourn at the Gaslamp Quarter Theatre. Directed by Will Simpson. Settings by Robert Earl. Lighting by Matthew Cubitto. Costumes by Joseph Dana. Stage manager, Linda Muller. With Susan Herder, D’Ann Paton, Patti van Roode, Miles Barnes, James A. Strait and Paul Nolan. Performances continue Wednesday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. through April 13 at 547 4th Ave.