There is a little show by Birnton Theatricals at Lunchbox Theatre called Fully Committed, written by Becky Mode, directed by Chris Stockton and starring Griffin Cork. One young actor, a headset connected to a reservation line that won’t ever stop ringing, and 40 different characters. It’s a bit of a daunting role for Griffin Cork, but he takes it all in stride as he plays Sam, a struggling actor in New York City, whose day job is torture. He works for a hip, upscale restaurant that everyone and their dog wants to dine at. Sam answers the phone and everyone has something to say to him. From demanding assistants, to his unreliable coworkers, to his father and brother, Sam is having trouble pleasing everyone, especially his unreasonable, abusive boss.
Fully Committed demonstrates the joy of theatre. You feel for Sam and his situation and are quietly whispering ‘don’t do it!’ as the play progresses. It is engaging and compelling theatre.
Cork truly is amazing as he runs around and gives every single one of his characters personality and ensures that they are distinct from each other. His performance could use a little bit of polish but it is quite astonishing to watch and he pulls you into Sam’s story effortlessly.
Fully Committed is a simple story with emotional pull, combined with Chris Stockton’s deft direction and Cork’s talent, it makes for a great production.
Birnton Theatricals presentation of Fully Committed runs until October 5th. More information is available online.