NEW YORK—Abbie Spallen's Pumpgirl looks at three of life's losers, each desperately trying to find some form of happiness.
Set in present-day Northern Ireland, Hammy (Paul Sparks) is a married man who makes money as a racecar driver at local tracks. He's also a first-class womanizer.
Pumpgirl (a.k.a. "Sandra"-Hannah Cabell) is a twenty-something tomboy working at a local filling station who's having an affair with Hammy.
The third character is Hammy's neglected wife Sinead (Geraldine Hughes) who, having long since fallen out of love with him, is simply going through the motions in life until she meets a stranger—one who has a connection to both Hammy and Pumpgirl.
Rather than seeing events play out on stage, they are instead related in a series of monologues. To work in this fashion, the actors need to make their characters (and accompanying situations) come alive for the audience. Unfortunately, not all the performers are up to the task, making the entire experience somewhat uneven.
Another problem is the flow of the narratives. Each character undergoes a potential life-changing experience, but only Hammy is affected enough to try to repair the mess his life has become. However, the attempt is not shown from Hammy's viewpoint, but rather the two others, each relating only part of the story, which further weakens the presentation.
All of the characters are objects of pity, no more so than Pumpgirl who goes through a terribly degrading experience, yet the entire thing simply doesn't register in her mind, so great is her love for Hammy. Cabell makes a vivid impression in the role, and at times one wants to shake some sense into the character to try to wake her from a fantasy existence. Hughes is believable as Sinead, but the character really doesn't elicit much sympathy or interest. It's not until the end that she begins to come alive, and then only briefly before she seems content to go back to the status quo.
Sparks really doesn't work as Hammy, with a sort of monotone voice which never seems to vary. As his character is the one around which the others revolve, this prevents the story from really taking off—which is a shame as the text does have definite possibilities (It's a question if the problems are due to the actors or to Carolyn Cantor's so-so direction.)
The set by David Korins (underneath a glass platform, upon which the actors perform) is quite interesting, and lighting by David Weiner is nicely handled.
Pumpgirl
Presented by Manhattan Theatre Club
New York City Center Stage II
131 West 55th Street
Tickets: 212-581-1212 or www.manhattantheatreclub.com
Closes: Jan. 13, 2007
Judd Hollander is the New York correspondent for the London publication The Stage.
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