Marlow, Miller, Surdyke Photo by Ed Krieger

It's reasonable, even expected, that a playwright should find a certain savory sustenance in the material world of words and the sensory aspects of language. But it is an inventive stroke to parallel a theatrical word-feast with an exercise in gourmet dinning. But that's what Michael Hollinger has accomplished in his play, An Empty Plate at the Café du Grand Boeuf-- in a West Coast Premiere at the Laguna Playhouse, through June 28.

It's 1961, Paris France: Victor--a wealthy, aging American expatiate--is the proprietor and sole patron of the highly regarded Café du Grand Boeuf. After returning from a respite in Madrid, Victor--a journalist by trade-- arrives one summer eve at his café. He's quite depressed. Not only has his hero, Ernest Hemmingway, recently died of a self-inflicted shot-gun wound; his longtime, but untenable love affair with the ethereal Miss Berger (an incandescent Amy Kay Raymond) has come to an unwelcome end. Victor's solution to his woes is to starve the life out of his own-self.

Alarmed by their boss's suicidal proclamation, the restaurant's attentive staff of French culinary workers (Jeff Marlow as Claude; Stasha Surdyke as Mimi; Graham Miller as Antoine; and Mark Cardiff as Gaston) try mightily to snap Victor out of his despair. To this end, they offer him a seven course gastronomical experience. When Victor refuses to ingest the delicacies, the employees entice him with a lexical buffet of tasty terminology. Indeed, a veritable and oh-so crispy word-salad is conjured here by Hollinger from scratch. Under the keen direction of Andrew Barnicle, Café is a lighthearted look into some of life's most weighty dilemmas. What drives us? What keeps us going during personal crises? How do we overcome loss?

Besides the top-notch cast, there are across-the-boards, high-quality production values in evidence at this Café. Bruce Goodrich's scenic design transports us to the Franco eatery with ease. Dwight Richard Odle's costumes are nicely suited to the place and time. Paulie Jenkins's lighting and Dave Edwards's sound design are each in full-service to this taut 90-minute production. An Empty Plate in the Café du Grand Boeuf is a thoughtful, surprisingly emotional comedy that's easy to digest and appreciate. It bittersweet aftertaste lingers pleasantly.

An Empty Plate at the Café du Grand Boeuf continues through June 28 at the Laguna Playhouse--606 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach. Performances are Tuesday - Saturday at 8 p.m. Matinees are at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday (as well as on 2 p.m. Thursday, June 11).For reservations, call (949) 497 - 2787. For more details, visit www.LagunaPlayhouse.com.