When you plan to do something devious, you should also plan for the possibility that your bad intentions may backfire.
In Scarborough Theatre Guild's last show of the season, My Darling Judith, a comedy by Norm Foster, this scenario is played out when rich business owner David Stafford schemes to get rid of his wife to marry his mistress.
Containing great characters and laugh-out-loud dialogue, as funny as this show is, the "funny" actually covers up a sad situation and a broken marriage. It also provides a realistic snapshot of how life can become when you're not content or living an authentic life.
Married for 19 years, David (Derek Perks) has been having an affair with Anna (Carolyn Hall) and using his summer home, where the story takes place, as his den of sin.
Not wanting to lose half of his business, or waste a year with divorce proceedings, David and Anna hatch a plan for Judith (Carolyn Tutchener), his wife, to be seduced by one of David's employees, Carl (Mark Boyko).
Carl is an awkward but friendly guy, who has come to his boss's home believing they're going to talk business. After some drinks and conversation David and Anna tell Carl their plan, and that if he can successfully pull off the seduction he'll get a huge promotion.
The following weekend, the plan is set in motion, but as soon as we meet Judith we realize what David meant when he said she's "eccentric" and also why it won't be easy for Carl to succeed.
After only a few drinks Judith becomes forgetful and not only can she not remember Carl's name, but she shows absolutely no interest in him. Pair that with her spontaneous musical song outbreaks and her passing out in mid-conversation, the first attempt doesn't go well.
As karma should work, everything that could go wrong, does, and while it's funny to see the interactions between Carl and Judith, David and Anna start to see the reality of building a relationship on a foundation of cheating and lying.
The four characters in this show are realistic and relatable, and while their surface personalities are fun to watch, the underlying reasons for their behaviours are not pretty.
A middle-aged man who feels more alive when a younger woman desires him; a young man whose insecurities lead him to go against his principles to feel like a somebody; a woman who was scorned by an affair in her first marriage so she repeats what she has learned; and a woman who never felt strong or worthy enough to demand respect and go it alone.
These characteristics were well portrayed with some great performances by the four cast members who succeeded in making this a multi-dimensional, entertaining, show with a satisfying ending.
This play contained many laughs, great dialogue and talented performers. It's not action-packed or complex, but a story that serves as a reminder that there are consequences to our actions and while the grass may seem greener elsewhere, each lawn has its own set of weeds.
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The remaining shows of My Darling Judith are June 4 to 6, and 11 to 13 at 8 p.m., and one 2 p.m. matinee on June 7, at the Scarborough Village Theatre, 3600 Kingston Rd. Tickets are $17 and $14 for students and seniors on Thursdays and Sundays only. For tickets call 416-396-4049.