REVIEW: Rules for Living (Round House Theatre)

I do like it when we get holiday shows that aren’t retreads of classics. I do think that The Nutcracker and A Christmas Carol have their places in the season, but I am just not as inclined to see them — I want new stories, new takes on the holiday spirit. Round House seems to like this approach, too, as the last few seasons have featured a few. There was the soft-bellied Seafarer a few years back, and the charming-yet-grating Hanukkah Carol last season. This time we get a British import by the name of Rules for Living, a dark comedy about a family holiday that erupts into chaos. In continuing this trend, we get another case of the same: a novel take on holiday ideas, but a script that doesn’t fill in the gaps. But trying to make up for it is a stellar cast that is putting their best into it nightly.

Book

Descending on the family home for Christmas is a yearly pilgrimage for many. Rules opens as long-term couple Matthew and Carrie arrive for the latter’s impending first-time meeting of his parents. Mom, Deborah, has several “rules” about her famous Christmas dinners, which are run down to the second. Carrie, an aspiring actress-comedienne, is a bit skittish but optimistic; Matthew, a successful lawyer after giving up his musical theatre dreams, is the vice-versa. Also in town are the married Nicole and Adam, Matthew’s best friend and his older brother, respectively, who in tow with their mostly-unseen daughter, Emma; and their ill father, Francis, whose impending arrival creates a lot of the tension. But Deborah is not the only one with “rules”, as the show reveals to us via delayed projection work: Matt must sit down to tell a lie, for example. These rules are established with board game-like cleverness to the audience, providing an inside look at the personalities that have developed due to, or in spite of, their interpersonal relationships. I found this idea very exciting, but holding less finesse than expected, especially as Act II marches on. In what could be a daring and clever means of yes-and-ing these relationships, there is less direct conflict between them than desired and they bounce more off the character themself than each other. It doesn’t help that the non-rule-based humor loses steam as well. The “dark” humor takes a turn quickly into Act II, but felt more sad than funny, even if the projected rules are lingering around reminding us that there are guidelines for laughs that we should be heeding. This uncertainty also gets in the way of character development, as dialogue seems to be more geared towards the rules in place of natural dialogue or behaviors that interact with them, especially with Adam and Carrie. As a result, much of the plot feels unresolved, and the holiday remains in uncomfortable tatters by the end. The dynamic feels like a refreshing take on holiday comedy, but the weak script holds it back. With some retooling I could see it flying high. 3/10

Acting

Is there a better Christmas gift than a high-octane cast of DC locals? Despite weaknesses in the book, the seven-person ensemble is razor-sharp and well-worth your time. Strongest of the bunch is a snappy and dynamic Dina Thomas as Nicole, but she’s easily challenged by just as energetic performances from Jonathan Feuer’s Adam and Danni Stoller’s Carrie. In a more tragic turn, the real-life couple of Naomi Jacobson (Deborah) and John Lescault (Francis) are also remarkable, as is their coddling chemistry with son Matthew (Will Conard). 9/10

Production

The homey set design from Jimmy Stubbs is cutely effective, splitting the space into distinct pools of action via its semi-thrust staging. There’s warm detail and a sense of wear in the house, thanks to the atmospheric direction by Ryan Rilette. The projection work from Delaney Bray is also nicely put together above the action, visible but not distracting. 7/10

Viz

I like the artistic vibe they go for in their press materials, with warm, homey graphics featuring some trees and wallpaper, but accented with splattering from a pie on the wall that disrupts expectations. The pre-show is merely the house, with some curious upper-level decorations that make you wonder what might come out. 8/10

Verdict

Rules is a novel holiday yarn that can feel narratively clunky at times, but the stellar cast doesn’t leave you disappointed. 27/40