A couple decides to spend their big anniversary having a nice meal out in Palm Springs. What could possibly go wrong? If it’s the play Slow Food, everything.
Playwright Wendy MacLeod’s comedy tells the story of Irene and Peter, a hungry couple, and their highly neurotic waiter, Stephen, who won’t bring them their food – and that’s only the beginning of their troubles. Stephen will have them not only questioning their meal choices but reexamining their future together.
A reading of Slow Food will be presented by Arizona Theatre Company and accessible on the ATC website at 5 p.m. September 15 through September 19, bringing some much-needed comic relief to today’s current climate, ATC associate artistic director Chanel Bragg says.
“Personally, I think our patrons could use an uproarious comedy at this time. With all that is going on in the world today, a little escapism is certainly welcome,” Bragg says. “Reading the script, I was immediately nostalgic to the days we sat in a restaurant. What I would give to have horrible service right now!”
Readings will also be available on ATC’s Facebook, YouTube and Vimeo channels. There is no charge to view the play, but donations to ATC are welcome and appreciated at arizonatheatre.org.
The reading features Diana Griffith and Joel Van Liew as the couple and Brian Beacock as the waiter. “Play readings are an important part of theatre’s creative process, providing an opportunity to hear how a play reads,” ATC artistic director Sean Daniels says. “Watching them digitally, with the actors performing in their homes, it’s an intimate glimpse into part of the play-making process that audiences usually don’t see. And this play is just pure hilarity.”
