Review: THE GARBOLOGISTS at Theater Alliance

It’s fitting that the Theater Alliance’s terrific new offering “The Garbologists” is presented in a temporary pop-up in the sprawling ground floor of a new apartment building — an industrial, no-frills empty retail space that could serve as a truck garage for the two workers featured in Lindsay Joelle’s sharp play. The black plastic bags sitting here and there could be for trash, but some of them have signs just in case: “Props.”

It’s the first day on the truck for Marlowe, a well-educated Black woman determined to master the ins and out of New York City sanitation service. Unfortunately for her, she’s paired with a know-it-all with nine years on the trucks who insists on spouting every bit of his hard won knowledge, unbidden.

Told that she can handle the bags herself, he won’t help her when she asks for a hand in moving a mattress that he kids might be bedbug infested. He gets her a fancy coffee on the second day, but insists on being immediately paid back the $7.

He keeps trying to find out more information about her — why would an Ivy League grad with two degrees be working sanitation? But he’s got his own bag full of secrets that will also eventually spill out like another unweildily 30-gallon container of refuse.

Slowly, amid the secrets of the trade, they find a common ground, or at least an understanding in a play that touches on work, race, connections and the difficulty of simply surviving in contemporary America. 

First premiering in 2021, “The Garbologists” has already been presented in a dozen productions — and not just because it’s a two-hander that doesn’t require a full cast or fancy costumes. It’s remarkably well paced and balanced between the wisecracks (or their failures) and eventual pathos, with nuggets of story information and plot turns regularly along the way in a satisfying whole.

It helps that the D.C. debut of the play has solid acting and direction, and presented on a marvelous spinning construction of a garbage truck.

Chris Benebach is just right as Danny, the seasoned New York trashman, who is as abrasive as he can be charming. With a fast talking, nearly nonstop patter he’ll remind you of James Gandolfini’s Tony Soprano except he winds up twice as vulnerable.

Yesenia Iglesias is great as the newbie Marlowe, holding her cards close as she pridefully tries to carry her own weight, but quick to point out truths about their situation. She ends up changing the most, warming a bit a couple of times and letting down her guard, leading to a strong denouement.

Director Shanara Gabrielle keeps the story spinning, like the clever makeshift truck by scenic director Jonathan Dahm Robertson. Madeline Oslejsek’s sound design brings the nonstop hum of New York City streets to life. 

“The Garbologists” is the second production in the pop-up space in Southwest, in the developments near the Waterfront Metro, after the 25 year old Theater Alliance had to move from its space in Anacostia last year. By keeping to their goals of provocative, socially conscious plays, they bring a warmth to even this chilly industrial space that’s certainly worth seeking out for this bracing entertainment.

Running time: About 80 minutes, no intermission.

Photo credit: Yesenia Iglesias and Chris Genebach. Photo courtesy of Theater Alliance.