The Stakeout
Created by Martin Dockery
Produced by Concrete Drops Theatre (New York City, USA)
60M | Comedy/Drama
Content Notes: Described Performance
By Barb Popel
The Stakeout is a whip-smart tragicomedy with crackling, sometimes absurd dialogue that reminded me of Samuel Beckett and Philip K. Dick.
Two guys—an older fella and a young guy—are FBI agents sitting in a dirty van in the middle of the night, watching two (is it two?) guys in a dirty van who might just be watching them. The older one assures the younger one that “We’re watching—we care!” and that “We insinuate ourselves into their lives.” The question (one of many) is whose lives, exactly, are they talking about?
They blather on, talking over each other as if they are in an Altman film. The younger guy just graduated this afternoon with top marks from the FBI academy. The older guy asserts that he’s going to retire tomorrow. He says, “Retirement is like a breath mint for the exhausted.”
Then the younger guy breaks “Lesson #1: No emotions,” when he starts talking about his devastation over his father’s abandonment of the family. This ratchets up the emotional tension, as the older agent firmly believes that “empathy is a terrible drug.” He’ll have none of it!
Amidst all the rapid-fire repartee and the absurd assertions, an awful rift comes into view, putting the audience on the edge of their seats.
For an exciting theatrical experience, head over to The Stakeout. You won’t be disappointed.
The Stakeout is playing at ODD Box until June 24, 2023. Visit ottawafringe.com/fringe/ for the schedule and box office info. Read more reviews at https://apt613.ca/category/festival/fringe/.
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