Abbie Spallen's
Pumpgirl, now getting its New York premiere at Manhattan Theatre Club, is one of those minimalist non-plays in which actors deliver alternating monologues and rarely if ever look directly at one another. As such low-budget items go, the work -- set in Northern Ireland and thereby making Spallen something of a distaff Conor McPherson -- is gripping enough. But even as your interest remains pretty much engaged by the characters and the crisp and pungent dialogue, you're never quite able to silence the inner voice yelling: "Don't tell me -- show me!"



The story is transmitted by the no-name pumpgirl (Hannah Cabell), race-car driver Hammy (Paul Sparks), and wife Sin[...]