As we left a Chrysler Hall parking garage filled with Norfolk Admirals fans and walked into the Generic Theater for their performance of “The Viewing Room”, we were shocked at how well the Generic had nailed the vibes of a funeral home.  There were funeral flowers.  There was an old organ.  There was the podium from which to deliver a eulogy.  There were seats saved in front for the family of the deceased.  And, there was Jay Hollerback, the funeral director (played by Victoria Blake), puttering around, moving flowers ever so slightly, straightening curtains and tablecloths, and ensuring the casket is just so.  And – is that a real body in the casket?  *Checks playbill, also hilariously made up to model a funeral handout.*  Well – it does appear the dearly departed, Chester Dumbrosky, is billed and being played by Bruce Hermans – are they going to make him lie there in the casket the entire play?

That question is quickly solved when Matthew, the youngest son of the deceased (as played by Aldrian Argante), is the first of the family to arrive.  As he peers into the casket, up pops his father, sent back for one day only by the powers above, to talk through some issues with his family.  And this family has no lack of issues – each of the five kids have their own reasons to have beef with their father, as does their father’s wife. 

Luckily, this is no normal family therapy session – how could it be when dad is dead, and the only people who can see him move or interact with him is the family?  For one thing, there is that funeral director Hollerback, constantly coming in to check on the family and being baffled by this family’s strange “traditions,” as the family plays off the fact that they are actually interacting with the deceased.   Victoria Blake is totally hilarious in that role, as she is persistently confused, and tries to be respectful and polite as she works to get this viewing over with by 4:00 so that she can turn the room over to the next family. 

Each of the members of the family has such a strong personality that it is no wonder they are totally dysfunctional as a group.  Argante’s Matthew is so funny and quick-witted as he fills the play with perfectly timed one-liners.  Youngest daughter Debby, played by Jadyn Espy, is the tarot-card wielder of the group, and her scene where she channels her father’s spirit is one of the stand-out hilarious parts of the play.  Another of those stand-out scenes is when Kiyante Malik’s Steven (another son) gives the (persistently interrupted) eulogy, and when questioned as to why he didn’t watch more than three innings of the Red Sox World Series game with his father, he shouts “I had prior commitments!”  Patty, played by Ash O’Leary, pulls off the brown-nosing daughter perfectly, offering a dead man coffee and extra pillows for his coffin.  And the real emotional impact of the play comes in the moments between the deceased (that is Hermans, who sort of directs all the action as he seeks forgiveness for his wrongdoings during life), the deceased’s wife Flo (played by Missy Sullivan, who brings great timing to her consistently inconsistent vocabulary), and the estranged Chet Jr (played with the appropriate amount of awkward feelings about being at this funeral by Dave Hobbs). 

What this cast gets just right is how it feels to be in the presence of a dysfunctional family (with extra clever lines up everyone’s sleeves).  They shine in those moments where the main action is happening in one place on stage, but there is a side conversation happening elsewhere – a credit to the group’s chemistry (and the family’s lack thereof), as well as the direction provided by Trey Delpo.  Although this play revolves around a viewing of a dead body, it is not about death – it is a reminder of the need to have those hard conversations during life, and follow them up with action. 

Oh – and it is just a rollicking good time.  You’ll be reaching for more popcorn as you see this family go at each other.  What could be more fun than that?