Accomplishing what it sets out to do is the chief virtue of The Dershowitz Protocol. In less than an hour, author Robert Fothergill, director Anthony Frisina, and a four-person cast throw the oxymoronic phrase "humane torture" into relief. Inspired by law professor Alan Dershowitz's claim that legalized torture might be preferable to having no information at all, the show posits a situation where government officials agree to extreme interrogation measures of a prisoner who may know where a nuclear device is planted.
Fothergill covers the bases. The FBI's Capt. Jack McCall (a strong Richard St. George) is all vulgar eagerness to use whatever means necessary, the Justice Department's Jane Cosentino (Kate Geller) has definite qualms, and CIA flunky Dr. Randall Watkin (Kevin Gaudin) is ready to pull the electric shock switch whenever authorized. The prisoner, named Iqbal Aziz (Ken Maharaj), is seen through a scrim that's fronted by a U.S. map, making us all both victims and perpetrators.
Presented by I Got Da Beat Productions/The Beat Project as part of the New York International Fringe Festival at the Schaeberle Studio Theatre, 41 Park Row, 12th floor, NYC. Aug. 14-23. Remaining performances: Thu., Aug. 21, 5:15 p.m.; Sat., Aug. 23, noon. (212) 279-4488 or (866) 468-7619 nor www.fringenyc.org.