THE PLAY: This one-man show is written and performed by Dan Ruth, as he recounts his 20 years as a bartender in New York and Brooklyn.

 

THE PRODUCTION: Ruth is an accomplished actor who gets a chance to lay out his soul and considerable skills in this performance. It’s told thru his own eyes and the caricatures of characters he’s encountered, including a sleazy health inspector, the pretentious man with the man bun and the shrill stereotype Jewish woman. He’s high energy to the point of manic, rolling thru the clever language and incisive observations with nimble timing and riotous results. Director Tanya Moberly has imbued enough variety in the staging (with some somber sober moments) to keep it interesting. The simple light washes by Addie Pawlick also help.

 

THE POINT: A tour de force performance for Dan Ruth’s manic personal showcase.

 

(5 / 5)

 

A co-production of TheatreLAB & The Women’s Mercury at The Basement thru 5/27