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If you can't stand the cheat
"Feed the Hole," by a Fringe Festival award-winning playwright, is a well-made play about everything that can go wrong in relationships.
By ROBIN EISGRAU
Offoffoff.com
This play's author, Michael Stock, won the Best Playwright award at the
2001 New York Fringe Festival. As his latest play unfolds, one can imagine
this talented writer winning more awards in the future. As it explores the
intricacies of infidelity in a contemporary relationship, "Feed The Hole"
radiates with intensity and intelligence.
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| FEED THE HOLE |
Company: Sideway Theater Company.
Written by: Michael Stock.
Directed by: Karina Miller.
Cast: Alexander Alioto, Melissa Picarello, Adam Reiner, Michael Stock, Fay Wolf, Anthony Wood.
Related links:
Official site
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Altered Stages
212 West 29th Street
April 10-27, 2003
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Set in contemporary New York, the
play centers around Shelly, who lives with her boyfriend Brett and is having
an affair with Brett's friend Steve. The only other person who knows about
the affair is Shelly's best girlfriend Sam, who knows she is cheating but
doesn't know with whom. Sam is appalled at Shelly's infidelity and tells her
boyfirend Rob about it.
To complicate matters, Rob is friends with both
Brett and Steve and tries hard not to let on what he knows. We see Shelly
and Brett's relationship crumble as they miscommunicate (most cleverly in a
scene where Shelly is trying to choose what kind of food to have delivered
and Brett asks Shelly to find a girl to fix Steve up with) and their
affection for each other evaporates, ultimately leading to a painful
breakup.
The dialogue is witty, fresh and honest-sounding. There are
sections of guy talk — where Brett argues with Rob and Steve as to whether
Hall and Oates were gay — as well as girl talk — Sam tells Shelly that
every time she leaves her apartment she's bombarded by the sight of babies
and doesn't know whether she wants to snuggle them or smother them. Shelly
delivers a vivid, sparkling monologue about having sex with Steve and how she
lost her virginity when she was in high school.
Watching the play, one gets the feeling that there should be a big,
angry confrontation between Shelly and Brett, which does happen. The
resolution between them that happens brings a satisfying, yet sad sense of
closure to the play. The concluding scene between Steve and Brett is moving
and poignant. Single people should by all means see "Feed the Hole," because
by showing us what can go wrong in a relationship, it may make you grateful
to be by yourself.
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APRIL 21, 2003
OFFOFFOFF.COM • THE GUIDE TO ALTERNATIVE NEW YORK
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