Presented by Bon Bock Productions (in association with Horse Trade Theater Group) as part of the New York International Fringe Festival at The Red Room, 85 E. Fourth St., NYC, Aug. 9-24.
The two one-acts on this double bill both end with a tragic revelation. But the lively characters and storytelling that precede them keep audiences involved and upbeat nonetheless. These two humanistic, humorous portraits come from the pen of Alex Dawson, and take viewers into the hearts and souls of a couple of normal Joes who meet with untimely ends.
"Jack the Hack" is the name of a beloved, middle-aged carriage driver in Central Park. Recalling his mentor and friend, a younger hack (Joseph Pacillo) paints a flattering picture of a man who always wore a suit and a bowler hat straight out of Dickens, and in return always attracted the most fares on any given evening. Suffering the indignities of the job, such as cleaning horseshit and having customers perform sex acts in the backseat, Jack nonetheless raises his work to a noble art. Of course, this makes the other drivers jealous, and they take their anger out on Jack in a fatal manner. Pacillo gives an authoritative reading of the piece, revealing both his love and respect for the elder driver.
"Room to Swing an Axe" also shows the love and respect of one man for another, this time barroom friends. Pacillo plays an alcoholic writer who is literally drinking himself to death. Craig McNulty is his "producer," a man who recounts the good and bad times he had with his friend over the years. But there is more to their relationship than first meets the ear. When the producer gravely tells of the writer's suicide, it is a touching moment.
The staging by Dawson is simplistic yet effective. All three characters are confined to one area during their speeches, yet Dawson allows them to be animated enough to hold viewers' attention. The uncredited lighting is particularly well done, especially the backlit opening for "Jack the Hack," which subtly sets the mood for the evening.