Dinner and a funeral

Most people wouldn’t think of a funeral as a good time, but when the wake is set in an Irish pub and replete with jokes, folk songs, drinking and even a little scandal, it’s bound to be at least entertaining.

That’s the plan for the Baton Rouge Irish Club’s production of Lafferty’s Wake at Café Americain, a sort-of dinner theater. It’s the fifth play produced by the group.

“It is set in a wake, but it’s a comedy, it’s not morbid. We’re in a pub in Ireland with various people from his life, singing and telling jokes,” says Nancy Litton, a member of the club who plays the deceased Charlie Lafferty’s wife.

The characters share memories of Lafferty, some secrets are exposed, and there’s a little audience interaction—and of course, some traditional Irish folk songs. “This is the first one where we have music in it, though I wouldn’t call it a musical,” Litton says.

Dale Aguillard plays the part of Lafferty and also co-directs. He played a deceased character in a previous production by the Irish Club, too. “I guess I’ve kind of been typecast as the dead guy,” Aguillard jokes.

And while the staging for the play is in the bar room of Café Americain, Litton says it’s not technically dinner theater. Patrons can come for the performance only, or they can make reservations for food service, starting an hour and a half before, and stay at their table for the show.

“This brings an element of something different that Baton Rouge doesn’t have anymore,” Litton says, mentioning the once-popular dinner theater scene in Baton Rouge and at LSU decades ago.

Tickets can be purchased ahead for $10 at Café Americain, or at the door for $15. Performances are Aug. 9-11 and 16-17 and begin at 7:30 p.m., except for the Aug. 11 show (a Sunday) at 2:30 p.m.

Café Americain
7521 Jefferson Hwy.
927-1626
cafeamericainrest.com

Baton Rouge Irish Club
bririshclub.com