There is a lot to like about this production of Fuddy Meers, directed by 2nd Story's Artistic Director Ed Shea.
There is David Lindsay-Abaire's outrageous story, with as many twists and turns as there are lines to speak. I am tempted to say that it has everything but the kitchen sink…but…it has a kitchen sink. With a running time of an hour and fifteen minutes, the playwright tempers the over-the-top storytelling with brevity. It is a combination that seems rare. It works very well here.Claire (Barbara McElroy) is a psychogenic amnesiac. Each evening as she goes to sleep her mind becomes a blank slate. Claire is married to Richard (Wayne Kneeland), a micromanaging martyr who revels in the co-dependent relationship. She has a teenage son named Kenny (Christopher O'Brien); complete with angst.On this morning, like every other morning for the past two years, Claire is gently awakened by her husband, who patiently helps her sift through her confusion. That is where the similarities to ordinary days (if there are ordinary days) end. A Limping Man (F. William Oakes), wearing a mask, enters her bedroom and tells her that he is her brother and that she is in grave danger. He convinces her to leave with him and he spirits her away to her mother Gertie's (Paula Faber) house.
Tickets are $25.00 each and can be purchased at the 2nd Story Theatre Box Office at 28 Market St., Warren, RI or by calling 401-247-4200.
Photo: Gertie (Paula Faber, left) teaches the puppet a lesson as Millet (Jonathan Jacobs, right) breaks down.
Photo Credit: 2ndStoryTheatre/Richard W. Dionne, Jr.
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