Reviewed by Tony Annicone

Burbage Theatre’s first show of 2019 is “Thom Pain” (based on nothing) which is a one man show. The play was a finalist for the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, which was won by “Doubt” by John Patrick Shanley. “Thom Pain” was written by Will Eno in 2004 and even though this Thom Paine isn’t based on the real Thomas Paine who uttered “These are the times that try men’s souls” but this one can be trying too. The main character delivers a stream of consciousness existential monologue. He is like you, only much worse. This surreal and real one man show follows Thom Pain as he desperately, and hilariously, tries to save his own life, to save your life and does so in that order. Or to at least make life into something worth dying for. In his quest for salvation, he’ll stop at nothing  He tells the audience that he has suffered greatly in his lifetime. His stories are of various calamities including a young boy with a dog who died horribly, who is then stung severely by bees and when the boy grew up his experience with a woman. It is about love, pain and loss with the performer interacting with the audience and breaking the fourth wall with his monologues and soliloquies. Director Vince Petronio blocks the show marvelously using the whole playing area and he obtains a phenomenal performance from his leading man.

Read more “THOM PAIN – Burbage Theater”