Review: "Stella And Lou", Eclipse Theatre Company

In South Philadelphia, widower Lou is getting ready to close up his bar late on a Friday night in the Summer.  He is in process of chasing out one of his regulars, Donnie, who doesn’t want to go home and talk to his fiancée because her extravagant wedding plans unnerve him.  Lou’s favorite customer, Stella walks in. Stella and Lou give Donnie advice and reminisce about their marriages and relationships in general.

   The 90-minute, one-act currently playing at Eclipse Theater, features three skilled veterans in Greg Smith (Lou), Anthony Chaffin (Donnie) and Kathy Sturm (Stella). Chaffin brings a charming mixture of naiveté, false bravado and tipsiness to the role of Donny.  Smith, and Sturm have great chemistry and excellent timing and gestures in line delivery. 

   The set in the small black box theater space depicts a realistic, small cozy bar complete with several stools, a couple tables, a dart board, arcade game in the corner and the call of a Phillies game on the TV in the background.  It seems comfortable enough that audience members might be tempted to help themselves to the snacks on the bar.   

   There is no program listing for a director or set designer.  Sturm and Smith are both experienced community theater troupers with credentials in all facets of the business and it is likely that they just did it all themselves.  

   Author Bruce Graham wrote extensively about the people, places and situations he encountered in his home town of Philadelphia.  “Stella and Lou” is a story of friendship, love, loneliness and exploring possibilities for new relationships among older folks.  There is a lot of repetition and I think the piece might be more effective if it were 20 minutes shorter.  However, there are enough funny lines and well-played poignant moments to make it worth the time and the price of admission.