The Flick

Three underpaid employees, the backbone of a Massachusetts movie theater, eek out their respective existences sweeping popcorn, mopping soda soaked floors and selling candy. In this dismal place, making contact with your coworkers is necessary if only to dispel the drudgery for just a fleeting moment.

Annie Baker's "The Flick" refers by title to the theater itself, and possibly the lives of its inhabitants. Winning the Pulitzer Prize in 2014, it had already been produced Off-Broadway the year before. It stands out in that it provides a microscopic look at the lives of average people with not so interesting lives. More about this later.

Avery (Ronald Kevin Lewis) is the new guy, Sam (Dave Rabinow) the seasoned employee, and Rose (Anna Basile) the quirky projectionist. Rounding out the small cast is Seth Finkle as The Dreaming Man/Skylar. As Avery is taught to sweep and clean the aisles, he tries to get to know the other two. First Sam, an older guy we assume is in his late thirties who has probably stayed at his first job forever. As he tries to get to know Avery, he tells him that Rose is a lesbian, and was promoted to projectionist ahead of him.

The uninteresting lives that I mentioned earlier come into play here; the interaction may not seem important on the surface, but this is less a character study than a study of "characters;" that is, people whom we might think of as odd. Avery is shy, awkward and truly unsure of how to even hold a broom, indicating perhaps a sheltered or privileged upbringing. When Rose appears, she is brash, confrontational and bossy. Sam exudes less than confidence in himself, he doubts everything but seems to know more than he is willing to share.

It's hard to see where the story might take us, the interaction is light and fluffy at first. There are some dark revelations from Avery and Sam, and Rose seems to be the catalyst for both. Taking control of the situations seems to be her goal, but each time it falls rather flat. Rose seems to revel in being the center of the drama, yet seems very disturbed when things don't go her way. The triangle gets murkier when Avery and Rose share an awkward moment; then when she shows him how to work the projector, all hell breaks loose with Sam.

The show isn't without humor; there are some laugh out loud moments as well. It's almost as if the audience is spying on private conversations, and this is where "The Flick" is brilliant. Setting the show in an actual movie theater is an inspired move, as well. Performed at The Cable Car, a small movie venue in downtown Providence, the experience is immersive; the smell of stale popcorn and candy brings us back to memories of theaters we may have visited as children or teenagers. And here we get to watch a story unfold not on the big screen, but from where the screen actually sits.

Our three protagonists are well chosen: Rabinow is excellent as the overaged usher; his longing to be more is tangible. Basile reminds us of young people trying to find their way in the world, she is quite good as Rose. Lewis is probably the most interesting of the three and inhabits the role like a glove; you can feel his discomfort in his own skin. Director Wendy Overly makes deft use out of an interesting yet overlong script, working the talent to keep us rapt, as voyeurs to the drama unfolding before us in a most interesting venue.

"The Flick" is running through March 25th at The Cable Car Cinema 204 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02903. For information or tickets contact The Wilbury Theatre Group at 401-400-7100 or visit www.thewilburygroup.org.