Rochester Fringe Festival 2025
1 Small Lie
Martin Dockery
Genre: Solo Performance
Venue: Rochester Fringe Festival
Festival: Rochester Fringe Festival
Low Down
At its heart, theater is essentially a very good story, rendered in a way that captivates us in spite of ourselves. With his latest theatrical incarnation, 1 Small Lie, Martin Dockery exploits this simplicity with unequivocal success. Introducing himself to the audience and inherently breaking the proverbial fourth wall, Dockery explains that this story is all true (or is it? – the tension between plausibility and absurdity is a large part of the fun here) – harkening back to a harrowing misadventure he endured in the affluent, secluded neighborhood he lived in during the Covid pandemic.
Review
On a night like any other night, Dockery comes upon an injured deer. Unable to reach anyone willing to assist, he decides to cart it back to his home on foot, employing only a green plastic sled, to keep the animal comfortable until morning. During this deed, Dockery stumbles upon a single-car accident, the vehicle being the one that likely struck this unlucky deer. Behind the wheel, a pinned, condemned man vehemently and crassly refuses help, inadvertently betraying his unlikely passenger: a duffle bag containing hundreds of thousands of dollars. What unravels next is a compelling, sinister, surprisingly funny story, edging toward camp, through Dockery’s delicious and irresistible rendering.
With his commanding presence, an original soundtrack that spurns us forth at relentless speed, and a bevy of color-shifting lamps at different heights, Dockery creates insatiable ambiance, taking hold of the audience and refusing to loosen the reigns for the duration of his roughly sixty-minute narrative romp.
There is something subtly evocative in Dockery’s undeniable control of his body on stage. The physical toll of this performance is almost subverted – hidden even – in its casual approachability. A keen observer cannot help but recognize, however, that controlling a lighting scheme, pacing delivery to an insistent backing track, and keeping vocal precision for the duration of the performance requires a great deal of rehearsal, planning, and skill. We as an audience are so utterly consumed by this intrepid tale that we don’t see how the magic is orchestrated nor the degree of difficulty inherent within. Dockery is a master of his craft, and if you have the opportunity to see him at work, you shouldn’t hesitate.
