Not Your Typical Dinner Party (Hayswood Theatre)
- stagedoorlouisville
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Rumors
By Neil Simon
Directed by Zach Trinkle
Review by Kate Barry
Entire contents are copyright © 2026 Kate Barry. All rights reserved.
Charlie and Myra plan a dinner party to celebrate their anniversary. Things quickly go awry with a gunshot, a missing host and no kitchen staff. Gossip and stories fly when the elite party guests begin to arrive. Rumors at Hayswood Theatre is a chaotic comedy of manners with lots of laughs.
The Neil Simon classic centers on four couples. Chris and Ken (Susan Crocker and Dustin Mattingly) start the silliness as their host finds himself mysteriously injured. Lenny and Claire (Michael Horton and Rae Hester) use logic and wit to hash out the details. Cookie and Ernie (Emily Trinkle and Brad Lambert) arrive with affable gullibility. Glenn and Cassie (Neil Brewer and Holly Smelson) have much to lose as an exasperated couple in the public eye. As a comedic ensemble, the four couples handle the quick pace of the script with good timing and charisma. The characters are bad liars, proving even the smallest lie can blow up into a literal catastrophe with outrageous consequences.
The production begins at a high tempo and proceeds to keep the action at brisk pace. Susan Crocker’s Chris establishes the momentum as she is in desperate need of a cigarette and welcomes guests with a blustery determination. Crocker’s Chris and Dustin Mattingly’s Ken are an equal match. While Chris constantly spins lies about their absent hosts, Mattingly’s Ken creates some great physical comedic bits as he pops off and on stage, running up and down stairs. As the couple, Crocker and Mattingly bring an exasperated chemistry as the gossip increases and the lies become even more unrealistic.
As the party guests arrive, strong performances are given by each couple with very distinct choices. Michael Horton’s Lenny is an elitist accountant. He wonderfully leans into the chip on the shoulder attitude towards new country club members who do not deserve to be there. Horton’s second act monologue is a comedic stand out as well. Rae Hester’s Claire presents a confident socialite with zinger at the ready.
Upon the arrival of Cookie and Ernie, played with the right amount of goofiness by Emily Trinkle and Brad Lambert, the truth about Charlie and Myra is all but lost. Trinkle provides a performance that really goes for it as she hunches over ottomans or rolls on the floor, all while wearing a dress that strangely looks like it has a tail. Last to arrive is Neil Brewer’s Glenn, a state senator nominee in the throes of an argument with crystal yielding Cassie, a brash turn by Holly Smelson. Brewer and Smelson find the right amount of tension as jealousies are addressed and misunderstanding is all but cleared. Patrick Yost makes a strong appearance as well as Officer Welch, a no nonsense cop. With the help of Officer Pudney (Hannah Jo Black), Yost delivers a comedic monologue with plenty of twists and timing, completely breaking his gruff exterior.
In Rumors, a dinner party turns into a night of fibs and antics. Hayswood Theatre’s production is a fun romp full of silliness. One thing is for sure, you’ve never been to a party like this before.
Rumors
Hayswood Theatre
April 9-19 2026
115 S Capitol Ave
Corydon, IN
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