Like a vacation fling, a one-act play can either be long remembered for its delicate and thrilling touch, or quickly forgotten should it go awry. But when you've got six back-to-back one-acts, all dealing with the transient nature of love, chances are good that at least one will leave a lasting impression. Scenes From a Distance, the fourth production at the Jan Hus Playhouse, was a foolproof rendezvous before the actors even took the stage. The evening featured three one-acts ("English Made Simple," "Bolero," and "Seven Menus") by comedic genius David Ives and three more from playwrights Mary Miller ("The Ferris Wheel"), Sean O'Donnel ("I Just Wanted to Say"), and the 2005 recipient of the John Steinbeck Award for Literature, Joe Pintauro ("Fur Hat").
Though Ives's name likely brought in much of the audience, it was Pintauro's "Fur Hat" that generated the most guffaws. Director Elaine Connolly seemed aware that this might be the case, as the one-acts were lined up like a strategic baseball roster. "The Ferris Wheel" got the evening off to a solid and competent start, "I Just Wanted to Say" and "Bolero" were only meant to get on base, and "Fur Hat" grand-slammed.
"Fur Hat" is the story of a chance meeting in a university caf
