Tracy-Ann Oberman in The Assembled Parties [Helen Murray]

EVERY Christmas, Julie (Jennifer Westfeldt), a former movie star, and her affluent husband, Ben Bascov (Daniel Abelson), gather their secular Jewish family for a lavish dinner in their palatial New York apartment. They are joined by Ben’s sister, Faye (Tracy-Ann Oberman), her husband, Mort (David Kennedy) and their daughter Shelley (Julia Kass).

This year, their older son Scotty (Alexander Marks, a striking stage debut) invites his best friend Jeff (Sam Marks) to join the festivities. Jeff, drawn to the warmth of the Bascov household and Julia’s Pollyanna optimism, quickly becomes a confidante to Scotty’s concerned parents, who are worried by his lack of ambition.

Richard Greenberg’s 2013 family dramedy unfolds across two periods. The first half is set in 1980 as Ronald Reagan prepares to enter the White House; the second takes place 20 years later, in 2000, when the assembled party has been diminished by time and loss.

Blanche McIntyre’s slick direction – where scenes cut across one another with the repetition of a single line – together with James Cotterill’s revolving set, vividly conveys the sense of an apartment you can get lost in.

In the final half, the setting is as depleted as the family. Julie, now unwell, gamely produces a festive meal for Faye, Jeff and her younger son Tim – also played by Alexander Marks. Jeff remains transfixed by the family and determined to support Julie, who remains resolutely upbeat.

Although the years have taken a personal toll, we are reminded that their world is as yet untouched by the seismic shift of 9/11 and all that would follow.

There’s much to admire, though Greenberg doesn’t break new ground in the dysfunctional family genre. While a Christmas run might have added resonance, the dual timelines are deftly handled, and McIntyre’s production is well-acted with some laugh-out-loud moments.

Until November 22
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