My overall impression
Frank Blocker’s a remarkable actor. And Stabilzed Not Controlled is practically a master-class in how to do a one-person show. Every character — from the surly maintenance man to the slightly shady female lawyer to the salty older woman who opens the play — is fully realized. It’s not merely a collection of stereotypes loosely cobbled to a funny voice that you see in many other productions. With a stooping shoulder or a hand on a cocked hip, Blocker immediately embodies the ever-shifting cast of characters.
And it’s not just a series of wacky vignettes hastily nailed together like an amateur SNL audition tape, there’s a genuine story beating beneath the piece. Cruel, heartbreaking, hilarious, and poignant, Blocker unleashes his cavalcade of NYC tenants on the audience. It’s a brilliant performance — and if you want to see the true difference between just doing funny voices and giving birth to a living breathing person on the stage, get yourself to this production while you can.
