The Plank Project

If "Noises Off" and "Waiting for Guffman" had a love child, it would probably resemble Bobblehead Production's very funny satire, "The Plank Project," which runs through January 31 at The Kraine Theater. Written by Jeff Whitty, the play neatly skewers the "documentary theater" movement, typified by such sincere (and self-important) productions as Anna Deavere Smith's "Fires in the Mirror" and Moses Kaufman's "The Laramie Project."

As with those shows, "Plank" purports to tell the true story behind an awful tragedy--in this case the death of a 1,100-pound transvestite named Abby Storch--using the words of the people who witnessed it. To gather that material, a troupe of wide-eyed New York actors head out to Abby's hometown, the rural community of Plank, Washington. There, they interview anyone even remotely connected to the incident, from the mayor to the local Avon lady, and act out these encounters for the audience.

Much of the play's humor is derived from the culture clash between these self-absorbed Manhattanites and the local yokels. Even better though, are the running gags that lay bare the clashing egos and internal jealousies plaguing this small theater company. In fact, the none-too-subtle jabs at the Off-Off-Broadway scene are so priceless, they frequently overshadow the main storyline. As the play goes on, you want to hear less about Abby's fate (which is suitably outrageous, but, to be honest, not all that funny) and more about the fierce rivalry between Danita (Saidah Arrika Ekulona) and Katrina (Jenn Harris) or introvert Sean's (Nat DeWolfe) thwarted love for boy-toy Lorne (Mike Doyle).

Like all good satires, "The Plank Project" works hard to imitate its target down to the smallest details. Director Erik Sniedze has done a good job recreating the look of "The Laramie Project" and the cast has a great time mimicking the genre's earnest acting style. Even if you're unfamiliar with documentary theater, "The Plank Project" will still elicit more than a few chuckles.