Nelson

There's a reason they're called Partial Comfort Productions: every show I've seen from them, from Baby Girl to 'nami, revolves around some disturbed and colorful characters who are thrust into a bleak urban setting and left to fend for themselves. In this offering, Nelson, the titular character is a slovenly, shy, sad man, who may or may not be a serial killer. As portrayed by Frank Harts, he certainly has the air of one, and it's his unique ability as an actor to allow himself to be steamrolled by the supporting cast that justifies the ironic flatness of Joe (the sadistic boss) and Charlie (the angry, entitled friend). I love this company because they always manage to entertain me. I wish that Sam Marks had written a side-plot or balanced out the characters a little bit so that I could care about someone other than Nelson, but I have to say--that Kip Fagan was able to propel us through a 95 minute show without the work seeming threadbare is a real testament to the need of more, clean directors.

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