“Ripcord,” David Lindsay-Abaire’s comedy centered on two strong-willed seniors, will be the second play of the Hampton Theatre Company’s 2021-2022 season, opening on March 17 at the Quogue Community Hall and running through April 3.
A comedic clash over prime real estate in the fictional Bristol Place Senior Living Facility, “Ripcord” begins when the cantankerous Abby is forced to share her quarters with Marilyn, a new arrival with an aggressively sunny disposition. A seemingly harmless bet between the women results in a riotous game of one-upmanship that yields lots of laughter — while also revealing deeper truths that each would rather remain hidden.
Writing for The New York Times about the 2015 Manhattan Theater Club production, Ben Brantley noted that “there’s polish to spare” in a script he called “admirable in its precision and symmetry,” concluding that all the elements of “Ripcord” add up to “a perfectly enjoyable evening.”
In a review for The Arts Fuse, Robert Israel wrote that “given the dour, sour, and maniacal farce that is American reality, ‘Ripcord’ offers some refreshing respite. In a world that has left odd in the rearview mirror, a comedy about mismatched roomies facing mortality comes off as inspirational.”
The cast of the HTC production of “Ripcord” features one HTC veteran: Vincent Cinque (“Six Degrees of Separation”) in multiple roles, including Benjamin, Abby’s estranged son. The five newcomers to the HTC stage are: Laurie Atlas as Abby; Claire Parrella-Curran as Marilyn; Matthew Schiavoni as the attendant, Scotty; Lindsey Sanchez as Marilyn’s daughter, Colleen; and Giovanni Sandoval as Colleen’s husband, Derek.
Andrew Botsford (“Admissions,” “Clever Little Lies,” “Dead Accounts”) directs. Set design is by Andrew Botsford and Ricky Bottenus; lighting design by Sebastian Paczynski; sound by Seamus Naughton; and costumes by Teresa Lebrun.
“Ripcord” will be performed from March 17 through April 3 on Thursdays and Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. An additional matinee will be offered on Saturday, April 2, prior to the regular 8 p.m. performance that evening. A bonus “talkback” with the cast will be offered immediately following the March 25 Friday evening show.
Tickets are $36, $31 for seniors, and $20 for students 25 and under. To purchase tickets, visit hamptontheatre.org. For the safety of all, ticket holders will be required to show a photo ID and proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test within 72 hours of the day of the performance they are attending. Face-coverings will be required at all times while inside the theater. For more information and updates on safety protocols, visit hamptontheatre.org. For information on veteran or Native American discounts, or to order tickets over the phone, call 631-653-8955.
Staff Writer on Feb 25, 2022