Chairs Chairs and more Chairs — Fringe Snips
⊆ July 26th, 2006 by courtney | ˜By: Ronnie Ruff
Bartleby — Journeymen Theater
Bartleby, Bartleby what’s up with that word prefer? How about: “I choose not to” or “I don’t wanna?” “Ain’t going to do it” or “I think not?” Actually this is one funny play, this Bartleby. Journeymen Theater has two more shows I believe for their Fringe Festival selection. Written by Melanie Dale and adapted from the Herman Melville short story Bartleby the Scrivener from 1853 — this production is quite a piece of work, a credit to the direction of Deborah Kirby and Ken Elston. Chairs everywhere make up both the set and the workload for the wonderful workers of Bartleby’s new office. An office of unique personalities some more developed than others reacts to and attacks their new officemate fresh from his previous stint at the Dead Letter Office (of R.E.M fame?), only Bartleby ain’t down with it. So what does he do? You will have to see it and quick.
There are some great talents in this show including Cecil Baldwin (Bartleby), Eric Messner (The Boss), Dallas Miller (Karl, Mr Cutlets), Tiffany Filmore (Rogers), Becky Peters (Trudy), Theadore M Snead (Ned) and Yasmin Tuazon (Landlord) and a cast of thousands. Actually one of the largest casts of the Fringe Shows I have seen. Standouts are of course Mr Baldwin who no doubt had little problems learning his lines but is a treasure in yet another Journeymen production. Becky Peters as an alcoholic office worker is gin soaked and fabulous. Eric Messner is perfectly frantic handling his new employee and Tiffany Fillmore is so obsessive and delightfully compulsive you want to call her Mr. Monk. And not to forget Dallas Miller whom I loved in Journeymen’s production of The Boys Next Door is the designated office smart ass that every workplace must have to be complete.
I could go on and on about this show but we are calling these mini reviews Snips for a reason. So just go see this one folks.
