Check out the review for the Stonestreet Studios production of “Small Engine Repair.”
On Monday, August 20th, I was able to catch the first showing of Small Engine Repair- written by John Pollono and directed by Bailey Nassetta- at Stonestreet Studios.
The story takes place in Manchester, New Hampshire. Frank (George Carpenter), a single father and owner of a small engine repair shop invites his two longtime friends; Packie (Julio Saenz): an unemployed yet energetic social media savant, and Swaino (Ryan Perez): a boastful womanizer and warehouse worker- to his repair shop under false pretenses in order to reconnect. It’s been over a year since they had seen each other and they’re no longer as close as they used to be. Both Packie and Swaino are unaware that the other is coming and right off the bat, they’re thrown into an argument about a drunken bar fight that they still have harsh feelings about. Frank mediates the fight and settles them down with copious amounts of booze; from the working man’s Bud Light to a $200 bottle of scotch. As the night progresses the three of them continue to settle old grudges, reminisce about the good old times, and get drunk. Then comes Chad (Andy Ottenweller): the hot-shot college basketball star and the son of a wealthy lawyer whom Frank invites to buy ecstasy off of. Frank knows Chad through playing pickup basketball with him and after completing the deal, Frank insists on Chad staying for a while to knock back some beer, smoke a little weed, and relax. However, very soon after things take a violent turn for the worse.
Small Engine Repair is intense, funny, and powerful. The acting was excellent as you could immediately get a sense of the characters and the dialogue caught you off guard with intensity and vulgarity. While the language the characters use is controversial, it’s an honest portrayal of them. The hyper-masculinity and the vulgarity are all surface level characteristics. Instead, they are actually deeply caring people who consider each other family, and the cast did a great job of displaying that. As the writer of the play John Pollono wrote, “They saw that despite the graphic, misogynistic language and situations, testosterone, and dick jokes. . . The play is a feminist story. It just doesn’t feature any women.”
There were also moments of great intensity, with the characters going at each other in yelling matches and violent altercations; the actors did a great job of making you feel as stressed out as the characters were. On the other hand, the play was filled with comedic moments. The interactions between Packie and Swaino are especially funny as they each take jabs and mock each other. Overall, director Bailey Nassetta and the rest of the cast and crew did an excellent job with their rendition of Small Engine Repair.
Tickets are on sale now at: https://www.artful.ly/small–
