Steven Barkhimer’s hilarious WINDOWMEN debuts
this week at the Boston Playwrights’ Theatre (and runs through Nov. 24th).
Like Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross with its ruthless real estate salesmen, Barkhimer
gives us a glimpse into the shady fish business. Like Mamet, he experienced it
first hand, working at a wholesale fish market right out of college. Unlike
Mamet, Barkhimer’s characters have heart.
Director Brett Marks finds just the right
tone for the piece, balancing the outrageous humor with the very real moral
dilemma faced by the new guy, played to nervous perfection by Alex Pollock.
Poor Kenny, he has a degree in philosophy but here he is in the middle of the
night, shoulder to shoulder with thugs, fishermen and haulers. Their day begins
at 4:30 A.M. to sell what’s been loaded off the boats to retail stores,
restaurants and the occasional hustler (Nael Nacer in top form).
Barkhimer’s set-up is ingenious: As Kenny
learns the ropes (and the codes), so do we. Just about the time Kenny catches
on, so do we. What a coup, to keep us on our toes…then make us invested in the
machinery of the plot. Kenny’s mentor/cheerleader is a rough, raw veteran of
the fish game who advances the plot by introducing Kenny’s moral dilemma.
Brandon Whitehead is sensational as the irascible, street smart wheeler dealer
behind the window, in sole charge of sales, receipts and accounting.
Daniel Berger-Jones supplies laughs for his
constant advice and his uninvited visits to the office. Will Lyman gives a
nicely nuanced performance as the savvy owner of the operation, a tough boss
with a soft spot for the college kid (and an eye for sloppy bookkeeping). He
gets a kick out of quoting Socrates to the philosophy major (not to mention a
half quote from G.B Shaw about youth being wasted on the young) and he pulls of
the unexpected ending.
