Northlight's 'A Life' richly filled with rue and regret

John Mahoney tripped up on his lines just for a millisecond during his opening monologue in Hugh Leonard's 1979 play "A Life," now receiving a rich and rueful production courtesy of Skokie's Northlight Theatre.

It could have been opening night jitters or a brief memory slip for the former star of NBC-TV's "Frasier." But Mahoney's dialogue hiccup felt like a deliberate choice to illustrate a crack in the carefully constructed facade of Desmond Drumm, the driest-of-dry-old-sticks character he plays in Leonard's bittersweet drama.

As Drumm, Mahoney incisively plays a rigid and retirement-aged civil servant who demands competency from others at all times. Drumm also has no qualms about railing about people's failings - often right to his or her face.

But Mahoney's stumble in his opening speech fell ominously at the point when he was citing the mortality rate of his provincial Irish hometown during a closing lecture to a small tour group. Drumm later assures his bubbly wife, affectionately called Dolly (Penny Slusher), that he was only diagnosed with an ulcer on his most recent visit to the doctor. But we soon learn otherwise.

Facing death, Drumm's starts on a journey to make amends with friends while reminiscing back in time 40 years to his younger self (Matt Schwader, who does a great job showing how Drumm's smarter-than-thou haughtiness was a trait developed early on). These time shifts show the origins of key turning points that lead us to Drumm's current state - trying to patch up past wrongs and questioning what went wrong in his life.

It soon becomes clear that Drumm was/is in love with the headstrong Mary (Linda Kimbrough in the 1977 frame) otherwise known as "Mibs" as a teenager (Melanie Keller in the 1937) frame.

But as a youth, Mibs was sick and tired of Drumm's efforts to tutor and elevate her in life, which is probably why she welcomes the genially disruptive layabout Lar into her life first as a suitor (Robert Belushi in the 1937 time frame) and then her husband (Bradley Armacost in 1977). Also nudging her way into things is the go-between Dorothy (Joanne Dubach), who clearly sees something in Drumm to admire.

Though it's clear from comparing the past with present how things turned out, Leonard lures in audiences with the all-important "why" question. And Leonard then throws in resentments from all sides that bubble up in key confrontations to make "A Life" a thoroughly entertaining examination of a man looking back at the road not taken in his life.

Director BJ Jones and his ensemble all give off the ease and back-and-forth necessary to show how these folks have been lifelong friends (in terms of the more mature cast members) or youngsters eagerly anticipating what may come in the future.

The action all plays out on designer Jack Magaw's atmospheric unit set of a decaying seaside pavilion and household interiors both old and modern, cast in the golden glow of memory or the gray light of today courtesy of lighting designer JR Lederle.

"A Life" movingly shows how hindsight can be devastating in looking back at one's life. And no matter what age you're at, Leonard's illuminating insights in "A Life" are most definitely worth living through.