Review: WINDOWMEN Tells a Good Fish Story

Windowmen

Written by Steven Barkhimer, Directed by Brett Marks; Stage Manager, L. Arkansas Light; Assistant Stage Managers, Stephanie Brownell, Zachary Dictakis; Scenic Design, Anthony R. Phelps; Lighting Design, David Wilson; Costume Design, Rachel Padula Shufelt; Sound Design, David Wilson

CAST: Alex Pollock, Will Lyman, Nael Nacer, Daniel Berger-Jones, BranDon Whitehead

Performances through November 24 at Boston Playwrights' Theatre, 949 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA; Box Office 866-811-4111 or www.bostonplaywrights.org

There is much to praise in the Boston Playwrights' Theatre production of Windowmen, the second show in their season of new works. Written by award-winning playwright and beloved Boston actor Steven Barkhimer, it is billed as a coming-of-age comedy, spun from the author's memories from working for three years at Lower Manhattan's Fulton Fish Market when he was fresh out of college. His experiences with his colorful co-workers in the wee hours of the morning provide a glimpse of a world where the fish are right off the boat, the men have to think on their feet, and the cash has to add up at the end of the day.

It's sink or swim for Kenny (Alex Pollock), the new guy in the office struggling to make a living in 1980s New York City. A stand-in for Barkhimer, Kenny studied Philosophy with a Math minor in college and, while contemplating grad school at NYU, relocates to NYC with his girlfriend looking for excitement. So far, the excitement consists of trying to make the rent and navigate the challenges of living together as a couple, but his new job adds complications to his life, like having to punch in by 4 a.m. and keeping up with the whirlwind demands of the office.

Al (Will Lyman) is the crusty owner of Turner Point Fish and he drops Kenny in the hands of Vic (BranDon Whitehead), the affable long-time employee who keeps the place humming even as does a little skimming from the cash drawer. Vic records the orders and handles the money at the window while Kenny writes up the receipts and keeps a second cash box. They develop a companionable big brother/kid brother relationship and work together smoothly once Kenny catches on to the procedures. Lester (Daniel Berger-Jones) works outside with the vendors, but periodically comes in to rattle Vic's cage and stick his hand in the till, presumably when Al is not around. The older guys try to initiate Kenny into their particular way of doing business with a pat on the back and some sleight of hand, but he struggles with his conscience.

Add to the mix a flashy wheeler-dealer customer aptly named Rocco (is there any ethnicity that Nael Nacer cannot portray?) and it's a wonder that Al doesn't have to file for bankruptcy. Whenever Rocco comes into the office, Kenny's head spins as he tries to keep one eye on his work, one eye on Rocco, and one eye on the cash box. Director Brett Marks establishes a fast pace with voices shouting orders over the intercom, papers flying back and forth, and phones ringing virtually nonstop. Actually, it all made my head spin, too, but there are some slower periods where Kenny and Vic get to know each other, or when Al grills Kenny about his goals for the future.

Barkhimer's dialogue is crisp, succinct, and often very funny. He gives credit to the guys he worked with at the fish market, suggesting that he could never have invented the best stuff in the play. However, he does have to take the credit for turning a series of anecdotes and sound bites into a narrative. Admittedly, it takes a while before the plot begins to unfold, but Barkhimer metes out his characters' back stories in the meantime so that their actions ultimately jibe with their personalities. Lyman's gravitas translates well to make Al the no-nonsense boss, but he also shows a definite interest in his workers and has a few surprises up his sleeve. Pollock handles the nuances of his character, virtually growing into manhood before our eyes, but his fidgeting is overblown. By contrast, Nacer's mannerisms and accent are spot on, and Berger-Jones strikes just the right tone as the bad boy. The discovery here is Whitehead who, according to his bio, recently moved to Massachusetts after twenty years on the West Coast. His everyman appearance brings to mind John C. Reilly, and he earns understanding for Vic who is, after all, a good man.

Scenic Designer Anthony R. Phelps evokes the tiredness of the office with grungy walls, mismatched furniture, and a clock that permanently reads 11 o'clock. With most of the action occurring from 4 a.m., there's no natural light coming in and designer David Wilson uses bright office lighting. Wilson also handles sound design and the frequent intercom speeches are loud, but not always clear. Rachel Padula Shufelt's costumes for the employees are simple, designed for comfort and warmth, but she gets to have some fun with the colorful threads preferred by Rocco. If you're in the mood for a good fish story and a little time travel to 1981, when computers were just peeking over the horizon and before cell phones were ubiquitous, Windowmen is a good catch.

Photo credit: Boston Playwrights' Theatre (Will Lyman, Daniel Berger-Jones, BranDon Whitehead)

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