Inis Nua's 'Hooked!' at Fergie's Pub

Gillian Grattan's trio of overlapping monologues isn't specifically set in a bar, but all three characters drink often enough at their local, Riley's, that it might as well be. Moreover, they're all telling their stories directly to us — so why not over a pint or a vodka and Red Bull? (A character's favorite, not my choice!) The audience is encouraged to visit the bar, and opening night's service was delightful, as was my Guinness. I recommend sampling the menu too (I loved my apple and brie sandwich).

Charlie DelMarcelle plays Tom, a witty ne'er-do-well with an embarrassing secret that he's finally sharing, the better to illustrate his story. His wife Mary (Corinna Burns) tells her own version of events about when their lives were disrupted by the arrival of comely Lydia (Rachel Brodeur) to the cottage next door, and of course Lydia has yet a third version.

Misunderstandings and tensions build as Grattan expertly layers in offstage characters, from the lascivious local policeman and Lydia's ex-husband Robert and his new wife, "The Blonde Slapper," to Mary's best friend, called "Hairy Hole" by Tom and her own husband, as well as Lydia's young son Wolfgang and Mary and Tom's estranged daughter Jessie. Their versions of events overlap, intersect, and humorously contradict one another.

Authentic ambience

Bar sounds waft from downstairs but never overwhelm director Tom Reing's entertaining 75-minute production, completing the illusion that we're hanging in the pub with these genuine, colorful, and increasingly intoxicated characters. Andrew Cowles's smart, subdued lighting helps tell the story, as do Toby Pettit's sound design and Rebecca Kanach's costumes.

As one might expect with an Irish pub play — quite a few have been produced at Fergie's, not only by Inis Nua but by Tiny Dynamite's A Play, A Pie, and A Pint and Brat Productions — the tale is surprising and sometimes ridiculous but with a redeeming kernel of wisdom and growth, and the telling is sincere, profane, and very funny.

Inis Nua will move into the new Drake space in 2016 (along with InterAct, Simpatico, Azuka, and PlayPenn), but I hope they'll make forays into the community — okay, I really mean Fergie's specifically — in the future for this sort of play. It's hard to imagine Hooked! playing nearly as well in a traditional theater space, without the bar noise and a pint.

There's a case to be made for table seating and drink service for all theater productions, but let's save that for another day.