В Дорстском театре с успехом прошла премьера комедии «Герой лобби» Кеннета Лонергана

Jeff can’t say anything right. A hapless security guard in the lobby of a Manhattan apartment building, everything he says blows up in his face, angering everyone involved. Until it doesn’t. Dorset Theatre Festival opened a delightful and intriguing production of “Lobby Hero,” Kenneth Lonergan’s serio-comedy directed by M. Bevin O’Gara, Saturday at the Dorset Playhouse. Set in pre-9/11 New York in the lobby of a Manhattan apartment building, the show involves a young security guard, his strict supervisor, and an overbearing cop and his rookie female partner — and a murder. Despite premiering on Broadway in 2001, “Lobby Hero” hits home today with its intense personal story of personal challenges — with plenty of laughs along the way. Jeff sees no future for himself and is pretty much doing nothing about it. William, his supervisor, insists Jeff get it together and take life seriously. Jeff’s life is in for a tectonic change when William inadvertently lets on that his brother may be in big trouble — he could have witnessed a murder. William is particularly concerned with the latest visit by the police sergeant Bill and his rookie sidekick Dawn, who have issues of their own. Bill is a macho cop on the way to his gold badge, whose sexual desires involve Dawn. Their relationship gets testy when it becomes apparent that their reason to be at the apartment building is that Bill is visiting a woman upstairs. Of course, Jeff can’t keep his mouth shut, inadvertently revealing secrets that bring everything to a head — an explosion, in fact — leaving no one’s life intact. For the better or worse, you decide. The Dorset production benefits from an expertly directed sympathetic cast. Tobias Segal is so effective as the hapless Jeff that it’s difficult not to yell at him. But it’s also impossible not to root for him. Carmen Flood’s Dawn is as sympathetic. Cornered in a most difficult situation — she has just injured a perpetrator, and her boss insists on sleeping with her — Dawn, too, steps in it. But we can’t help rooting for Flood’s Dawn either. Donathan Walters’ William, Jeff’s security captain, despite being strict, overbearing and righteous, is sympathetic. When William feels compelled to deny his belief system, Walters makes us feel his pain. Poor Bill. Lee Aaron Rosen creates a perfect image of a self-important cop, a bully who believes anything he does is OK because he’s on the side of the angels. Despite ourselves, we can’t help but care for him a little bit too. Dorset’s physical production is remarkable. Alexander Woodward’s lobby is realistic down to the most minute detail, including an active air vent and a convincing elevator, made all the more real by Wen-Ling Liao’s effective lighting. Barbara A. Bell’s realistic costumes and M.L. Dogg’s dramatic sound design add to a most stylish production. Dorset’s production of “Lobby Hero” is the perfect combination for theater storytelling — seriously dramatic, terribly funny and deeply touching. jim.lowe @rutlandherald.com