‘Fully Committed’ is quick, quirky
The life of a restaurant reservationist can be trying. The phones ring constantly, the pace is frantic and the callers range the gamut from the cordial and unflappable to the rude and histrionic. It’s not for the faint of heart.
Martin Burke plays Sam Peliczowski in the Lyric at the Plaza production of “Fully Committed,” Becky Mode’s one-man tourde-force about a hapless reservationist at an exclusive New York restaurant. Dave Steakley directs the bustling comedy with flair.
While the production employs a single comedic device that’s used repeatedly, it sometimes feels like a quirky sketch that outstays its welcome. But there are many choice moments that evoke plenty of laughter.
In addition to taking an endless number of calls, Sam must also deal with interruptions from the chef, the hostess, the maitre d’ and another reservationist. Not only does Burke have to accommodate the relentless callers, he must employ a far-reaching range of accents that give them distinction. That helps the audience keep track of the 40-odd, unseen characters. To Burke’s credit, the stage often feels packed with people who shift in and out of focus.
Among the callers are Mrs. Vandevere, a Park Avenue socialite; Bryce, an aggressively flamboyant personal assistant; Dominick Veccini, a mobster; Carolann Rosenstein-Fishburn, a restaurant regular who resents getting put on hold; and Sam’s dad, a recent widower hoping his son will make it home for Christmas.
Unfortunately, most of the patrons who call in discover that the restaurant is filled to capacity, or “fully committed,” on the night they’re seeking reservations. It’s their methods of dealing with disappointment that provide the play with much of its humor.
Mrs. Vandevere says taking reservations is hardly rocket science and asks to speak to Sam’s superior. A woman from Paramount becomes antagonistic and responds with language that can’t be repeated here. Others simply hang up.
Not surprisingly, the callers’ demands also provide considerable humor. Bryce requests a reservation for 15, no female wait staff and a vegan menu with no fat, no salt, no dairy, no sugar, no chicken, no meat, no fish and no soy.
For his parents’ anniversary, Veccini asks if the wait staff could sing their favorite song, “The Lady Is a Tramp.” Others try to gain leverage by mentioning a celebrity they’re bringing to the restaurant — Frank Gehry or Henry Kravis, for example.
And while one quickly tires of the shrieking Mrs. Sebag and her relentless commandeering, there are people such as the timid Mrs. Watanabe and her limited grasp of English that end up being more humorous.
Burke’s masterful performance is fascinating to observe, from his lightning-fast accent changes and clever mannerisms that give specificity to his characters, to his ever-growing weariness with the demands of his character’s job.
Even in those infrequent moments when Burke gets tripped up in this fastpaced production, it’s like watching a priceless sitcom outtake. The 90-minute, intermission-less comedy proves undeniably that Burke is fully committed to his craft.