BAD CONNECTIONS?

The “interweaving stories” motif is given a brave spin in this one-man show performed by Paul Cosentino. The high-blood pressure lives of 9 New Yorkers, including a middle-aged Jewish wife, a pregnant black woman, and an effusive yoga instructor, all collide on a rainy Manhattan day. We know this gimmick very well, but thanks to Cosentino’s nuanced performance, this production gives us the unique experience of witnessing darting story lines through the lens of one very game actor. Cosentino seems particularly at home with certain characters, especially an East Indian guru who pulls us into meditation and the heartbreaking Debra Steiner, an initially stereotypical Jewish wife who takes some surprising turns toward the end.

With virtually no design to the show save for some simple light cues, Cosentino is purely dependent on his own abilities to shift and transform. While he can only go so far with this tremendous responsibility, it allows us to appreciate a performance that is a remarkable accomplishment.