‘Scraps’ of Life and Love’s Stages

Stephen Message provides a dark assessment of marriage in his “Scraps” at the Santa Monica Playhouse. Although the scene transitions could be smoother under Chris DeCarlo’s direction, a well-matched ensemble crackles with brilliant anger and layered hostility.

Five friends are uncomfortably reunited in a flat in present-day Birmingham, England. Graham (Nicholas Cascone) and Lesley (Irene Tassiopulos) are celebrating their first wedding anniversary with good friends Jane (Julie Driscoll) and Phil (Message). Uninvited, homeless and penniless, Sue (Precious Chong) arrives, sparking spousal quarreling.

In flashbacks, we learn that Sue was Graham’s first wife, who sank into depression and alcoholism after their only child was stillborn. We glimpse how the past can be colored by false assumptions. Different aspects of alcoholism emerge--Sue the hysterical, angry harridan contrasts with Phil, still functioning but isolated behind the comforting haze of booze.

As we watch one couple moving from honeymoon happiness to civilized sarcasm and another bickering with mounting bitterness, Message’s hopeful last scene doesn’t quite fit in, as if it were tacked on in a fitful attempt to have an upbeat ending. DeCarlo could tighten the pacing in the transitions between scenes and the cuts to internal character monologues, signaled by a harsh spot.

Yet these are minor points as one listens to the snappy dialogue and watches DeCarlo’s well-nuanced staging, where every move signals love’s fickle waxing and waning.

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* “Scraps,” Santa Monica Playhouse, 1211 4th St., Santa Monica. Fridays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 6:30 and 9:30 p.m.; Sundays, 6:30 p.m. Ends Oct. 31. $16-$20. (310) 394-9779, Ext. 1. Running time: 1 hour, 30 minutes.