An Empty Plate in the Cafe du Grand Boeuf at The Laguna Playhouse
Laguna Playhouse (606 Laguna Canyon Rd. Laguna Beach, CA 92651)
- Full Price:
- $35.00 - $65.00
- Our Price:
- $18.00 - $33.50*
* Additional fees apply.
All offers for An Empty Plate in the Cafe du Grand Boeuf have expired.
The last date listed for An Empty Plate in the Cafe du Grand Boeuf was Thursday June 25, 2009 / 8:00pm.
Currently at Laguna Playhouse:
The Second City's Laugh Out Loud Tour -- Live Improv Comedy
- Full Price:
- $50.00 - $60.00
- Our Price:
- $25.00 - $30.00
The Second City, one of the country's most famous and celebrated comedy troupes, brings its Laugh Out Loud Tour to the stage at Laguna Playhouse. The company that launched the careers of the likes of Tina Fey, Steve Carell, Bill Murray, Stephen Colbert and countless others, the Second City remains one of the most prestigious -- and hilarious -- troupes for talented, up-and-coming actors and comedians. The Laugh Out Loud Tour mixes sketch comedy and the Second City's signature improv into a perfectly side-splitting combo. Learn More
Goldstar Member Tips
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Goldstar Member on Where to Park
After 6:00 PM street parking is FREE
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Goldstar Member on Where to Eat
Sun Dried Tomato Cafe
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Goldstar Member on Where to Park
Parking at meters across the street or in Lumberyard lot
8 Goldstar Member Reviews
Goldstar Member
A very witty and entertaining show. Only 90 minutes with no intermission so it went by fast. Would definitely recommend it!Written on Jun 12 2009
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Paul P.
It was really fun. The script was enjoyable - very quick and the acting was GREAT. The bullfight was amazing. My date and I were really engaged the entire time. The white suitcase was so Jackie-O.Written on Jun 10 2009
Thanks to Laguna Playhouse for doing shows like this.
It's a dark comedy and 1 act, so don't go on an empty stomach.
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Goldstar Member
Anne
We really enjoyed this show, from the play itself, to the acting, to the venue. A thoroughly pleasant evening. The lead actor gave a tremendous performance.Written on Jun 26 2009
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More Information About An Empty Plate in the Cafe du Grand Boeuf
Website
http://lagunaplayhouse.com/onstage/2009/emptyplate/
Quotes & Highlights
- "A deft mixture of low comedy and medium drama…the clever script is really a series of bonbons (and bon mots) that rolls along effortlessly.” --OC Register
- "This wild and woolly comedy had audiences howling almost non-stop opening night…the witty, offbeat humor offers a lot of food for thought.” --TheatreExaminer.com
- "A tangy comedic soufflé. The performances are all-around marvelous…it’s a charming and savory treat." --StageSceneLA
Description
By Michael Hollinger
Directed by Andrew Barnicle
Victor is a man of immense appetites. A wealthy and eccentric American expatriate living in 1961 Paris, he owns the fabulous Café du Grand Boeuf, the world's finest restaurant, which he reserves solely for his private use. When he unexpectedly arrives in a state of broken-hearted desperation, the staff attempts to lift his spirits by seducing him with culinary splendors, but they find that the way to a man’s heart may not be through his stomach. This unusual comedy celebrates the pleasure of sensual desires and living each moment to its fullest. From the author of last season’s hit comedy Red Herring.
“Hollinger has a deep respect for the human condition, including its frailties, so regardless of the absurdity of some of the situations his characters are in, they always respond in a distinctly human way,” notes Barnicle, who thinks audiences won’t really know what the play is all about until the end. “That is a very good thing, by the way.Nobody should be sitting around waiting for the ending because they already know what it’s going to be. Hollinger is a master of the unexpected.”
Barnicle says he’s had to overcome a number of obstacles in bring this play to life, including obtaining the services of a professional bullfighting consultant and a tuba teacher, and making sure the numerous French phrases in the script are properly pronounced. But that’s not all.
“The main challenge will be in drawing the audience into a world that is somewhat askew from our reality,” explains Barnicle. “The plot features a wealthy man who owns a restaurant that serves nobody but him. Sounds whacked. But then again, Howard Hughes took up an entire floor of a hotel in Las Vegas for years and never came out. The trick is to make the weirdness plausible within the world of the play.”
“Another challenge is that the play deals with rather deep philosophical issues,” adds Barnicle. “I’m calling it ‘romantic existentialism.’ I have no idea what that means. The staging should be right in our wheelhouse: single location, elegantly appointed. Casting is always the most important element of the production. There is a character who plays the tuba, and that posed a slight problem. But it will be worth it--we all know that a tuba is funny and French horn is not. That’s a basic rule of comedy.”