Susannah Flood, Anthony Edwards (Photo: Joan Marcus)

The Counter

by Lydia Sue Keidel

Meghan Kennedy's The Counter, now at the Laura Pels theater, tells the story of an unlikely friendship unfolding at a diner in a small town in upstate New York where time appears to have stood still.

The Counter starts slowly, establishing the monotony of daily life. The repetition of refilling a coffee cup is like living the same day over and over. The diner looks like it hasn't changed in decades, although the play takes place in the present time. The set (set design, Walt Spangler), which is packed full of detailed nostalgia - a gumball machine, Chock Full of Nuts cans, a fire extinguisher -- has an awkwardness to it, perhaps because it is oriented perpendicular to the audience. 

The characters present like fixtures, there too. The waitress, Katie (Susannah Flood) very naturally busies herself with the routine tasks a waitress does. She actually makes a pot of coffee - which adds dimension to the play, as the coffee brings the audience's senses into the diner.

Paul (Anthony Edwards), the breakfast regular, after echoing civilities, challenges Katie to share more details about their lives: their 'secrets'. 

Each day, they reveal another part of themselves. As their stories unfold, they develop a friendship and a deeper connection. The characters open up to each other, and so do the actors, and layers of richness divulge what makes them tick.

 

Susannah Flood, Anthony Edwards (Photo: Joan Marcus)

Katie is there to start a new life in a new place (or running away from her past). Paul is miserable, yet furiously clinging to his own past. As he explains, "When we love someone, we'll do anything to hold onto them.  Even if that means being desperately unhappy. Because at a certain point, the unhappiness is the only thing still connecting you to them."

Susannah Flood's Katie is soft spoken. She acts with her whole body - her nuanced facial expressions are telling, and her hands in particular have subtle yet brilliant movement. As Paul, Anthony Edwards, a renowned dramatic actor, has created a character who appears to be a simple man but is quite complicated and reflective: a difficult juxtaposition and he does it expertly.

There are two other characters in the play. One we only hear his voice.  The other is Peg, the small town's doctor. This cameo role for veteran Amy Warren is a masterclass in acting - perfection. 

Amy Warren, Anthony Edwards (Photo: Joan Marcus)

Commissioned by the Roundabout Theatre Company, The Counter is an original work written by Meghan Kennedy, who grew up in upstate New York. The play includes many biographical elements of Kennedy's life. As in previous works, Kennedy focuses a lot on loss; she writes, "I'm interested in grief.  The ways in which it can take up space. The hold it has."

Director David Cromer has constructed both a physical and emotional space for these characters to blossom intimately with each other and with the audience. Costumes by Sarah Laux are just right for the time and place with just enough small changes to denote a passage of time.

A quick dip of the lights (lighting design: Stacey Derosied) clearly represented a passage of time as well. A wonderful device established early in this drama wherein the focused actor was lit and all the other lights around them dimmed as they spoke their interior monologue. It was used once for each lead actor. It's unfortunate that the play didn't allow for an opportunity to continue this motif, as it was very effective. The end of the play leaves many unanswered questions - food for thought. It wasn't unfinished but rather left you wondering what happened next.

The Counter is a win-win; kudos to this new work for playwright Meghan Kennedy, the actors who had the opportunity to create new characters, and Roundabout Theater for presenting this show. 

The Counter

At the Laura Pels Theater

111 West 46th St

Tickets starting at $65

Through Nov 17