Brave Ducks

Cryptic and scattered, "Brave Ducks" raises any number of ripe topics—government inefficiency, religious flimflam, mistreatment of suspected aliens, how people unite in disaster—and leaves them all flapping in the breeze.

Amid a devastating, possibly metaphorical storm, naturalized American Eugenio (Bobby Plasencia) seeks his missing daughter, a downtrodden woman (Ito Aghayere) seeks her lost dog, and a nasty but vulnerable animal-rights worker of some sort (Sean Gabbert) seeks to atone for some unspecified sin. All band together in pursuit of government help only to encounter a phony reverend (Brad Thomason) claiming to run some government assistance program. Meanwhile, a tap-dancing bag lady (Andrea A. McCullough)—who may or may not be God, your guess is as good as mine—pushes her shopping cart and yells things like "Make way for ducklings!"

Such is author Andrew Belcher's incoherence that we can't tell whether he favors public assistance or not, and such is his protagonists' self-centeredness and unpleasantness that we don't care whether they find daughter, dog, or salvation. Racist invective from authority figures comes frequently and gratingly, but the most salient remark may belong to Eugenio, who asks, "Can't we move this along?"

Presented by Mass Bliss Productions as part of the New York International Fringe Festival at the Living Theatre, 21 Clinton St., NYC. Aug. 19–26. Remaining performances: Wed., Aug. 24, 10 p.m.; Thu., Aug. 25, 7:15 p.m.; Fri., Aug. 26, 10:45 p.m. (866) 468-7169 or www.fringenyc.org.