Accidentally, Like a Martyr, written and directed by Grant James Varjas at the Paradise Factory Theater in the East Village starts out as a slice of life veers toward mystery and ends pleasantly back where it began, just another night in a home-away-from-home, friendly saloon.

Borrowing its title from a woeful, lost love song by Warren Zevon, Accidentally follows four older gay guys and the bartender who tends to their thirsts and their emotional needs. Jeffery (Brett Douglas) is the bartender. He is seemingly fey, that is until he demonstrates his complete control of the bar’s denizens who include Edmund (Chuck Blasius), a warm-hearted drinker; Brendan (acted by the playwright, himself), a nervous, boastful druggie, probably the youngest of the group; Charles (Keith McDermott), a brittle, witty queen full of bitter comebacks and a philosophy of life that gets in his way; Mark (Cameron Pow), a slightly shy charmer who, after a major loss, is trying to get back into dating via the internet; and Scott (Ken Forman), a cuddly younger man, the object of affection of two of the characters. Kevin Boseman plays J, a pretty much clichéd drug dealer, complete with “street cred” and intimations of violence.

Accidentally veers between December 2007 and December 2011. The years both change the men and lead them into life-numbing inertia. Jeffery struggles to keep the bar going despite the competition of a livelier place down the block that caters to a younger crowd. Edmond finds love in the most unlikely place while Charles manages to spout one too many not so bons mots infuriating everyone. Brendan’s cocaine abuse leads to a climax of sorts, dragging poor, handsome befuddled Mark and the others into memories of a dark, life altering event.

Varjas managed to keep Accidentally, Like a Martyr low-keyed and real, helped by a cut-away set by Clifton Chadick with a perfect view of the shabby, but homey bar. Brian Tovar’s lighting helped keep the time periods clear and Melinda Basaca’s everyday costumes helped define characters from the overly neat outfit of Charles to the studied casualness of Brendan.

Mr. Varjas directed his cast with a light hand, never allowing the few outbursts to get out of hand, letting the actors do their work unimpeded, revealing all the natural nuances of his small, but fine character study. His focus on older gays, set in their ways and full of maddeningly little quirks, gives this work a poignancy that energy and sex-driven studies of the younger crowd can’t achieve.

Accidentally, Like a Martyr isn’t a major work, but in a theater world full of gay themed works, its simplicity and empathy give it a lovely glow.

The Paradise Factory Theater
64 East 4^th St.
New York, NY
December 15^th, 2011 – January 7^th, 2012
Tickets: 212-352-3101 or ovationtix.com
More Information: www.othersideproductions.org