A finalist for the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for drama, Thom Pain (based on nothing) was written by Will Eno. His burst on to the literary scene was followed by three fine plays that I saw: Middletown, The Realistic Joneses and Wakey, Wakey. Mr. Eno has a quirky voice and develops his big themes in the small details. His writing is often dark, introspective and quietly poetic. I’ve enjoyed his work immensely. Signature Theatre’s revival of his first success has allowed me to finally catch up with the one that put him on the map.
When a character has the last name Pain, you guess there is going to be some angst on display. I assume that his title is also a distant homophonic cousin to Thomas Payne, the political philosopher during America’s revolutionary war. The parenthetical “based on nothing” could be referencing Samuel Beckett’s Stories and Texts for Nothing since both have minimalism as writing tattoos. These two men offer a bleak, tragicomic outlook on the human condition which is then tinged with offbeat humor.
This play is a monologue and there is a palpable air of loneliness encircling the stage. We meet our man while sitting in the dark. He is trying and failing to light a cigarette. As we will learn over the course of 75 minutes, things don’t often go well for Thom. He shares certain events that resonate firmly in his mind as a self-examination of his own unremarkable life. Once he went for a walk since it was so nice outside. He then drily states that it was raining. I laughed out loud at the simple absurdity.
Michael C. Hall (Lazarus, Six Feet Under and Dexter) takes us through this journey which never seems to go anywhere, often has major detours seemingly without purpose, only to return to several existential questions about life. What should one do with an infinitely short lifetime? The play uses memories from childhood and relationships to illuminate his uncomfortable malaise. Round and around the monologue travels in an unconventional way. Mr. Hall keeps our attention through the absurdities but the quiet moments are shaded with the right hue of sadness.
Directed by Oliver Butler, the words become the star of this production linking simple stories to profound realities. Mr. Hall’s delivery pulls us in and pushes us away, but we never really disappear. Do any of these philosophical musings apply to me? Long after we depart this life, we too will be nothing. In the meantime, consider living life with less pain and less regret. Thom Pain (based on nothing) really was a memorable debut by a playwright. Mr. Eno’s works are well-worth seeking out and thinking about.