Notice Board

A Dinner Party by Christopher Duthie
Feb. 8 - 12 | 7:30 pm | University Theatre
Tickets are complimentary, but reservations are required through the University Box Office: ulethbridge.ca/tickets

Love is in the air as the Department of Drama invites audiences to A Dinner Party by Calgary playwright, Christopher Duthie. The third Mainstage of the 2021-2022 season, A Dinner Party runs February 8 – 12 at 7:30 pm nightly on the University Theatre stage. 

When host couple, Boo and Darling, are unable to define Love in the same ways as their old friend Baby, and Baby’s new younger lover, Sweetie, the evening spirals into a bizarre evening of chaos, identity crises, heartbreak, culinary emergency, marriage proposals, sexual exploration, and polite cannibalism.

“This play is an investigation of how we define love and define ourselves in the 21st century,” says director, Kelly Reay. “It’s an exploration of how love evolves at different points of our life, from young love to established love.”

Developing the characters of Boo, Darling, Baby, and Sweetie has been an essential process for the cast throughout their rehearsals. “Duthie wrote the roles without specifying gender, which opens the door for thorough character development. The process has involved a great deal of time getting to really know the characters, to find what makes them relatable,” says Reay. “The play is loaded in subtext in which natural conversations twist towards the absurd. It’s a great play for our students to cut their teeth on.”

Drama Department faculty and production designer, David Smith, is very familiar with the play and excited to bring it to the U of L. “I was the designer for the premiere of this play three years ago with Bad Knaps Theatre in Calgary and Christopher Duthie and I were graduate students together as well. This is a great play for our students to work on,” says Smith. “As theatre practitioners we are storytellers, and the set, although uncomplicated, provides important context where the action unfolds.”

Tickets for A Dinner Party are complimentary for all patrons, but ticket reservations are required through the University Box Office. Tickets can either be reserved online, ulethbridge.ca/tickets or in person, Monday – Friday 12:30pm – 3:30pm at the University Box Office window. Seating is limited.

The following protocols are in place to access the University of Lethbridge:

Vaccination is required for all visitors ages 12+ to attend any space on uLethbridge campus. This applies to all programs and events, including meetings, sporting events, and cultural activities (e.g. performances, concerts). Event attendees will be asked to show this proof prior to entering any venue. Attendees who cannot provide this attestation will be refused entry and no refund will be issued.

Albertans can access their vaccination record and QR code by visiting the Alberta Covid Records website. 

Masks are mandatory on campus, including in the University Theatre, at ALL times.