When I sat down to watch Martin Dockery's play 1 Small Lie, I was not expecting to hear such a nail-biting and thrilling true crime story. An innocent one-man comedy about how Martin saves a deer on a forest trail in Montauk, New York transforms into a chaotic, gripping tale sure to keep you at the edge of your seat. Dockery's delivery and unique choices during the show made for a story-telling experience like no other.

The story goes that while in Montauk away from family, Martin encounters a deer alongside the road that got injured and decides to save it and bring it home with him. Unfortunately, when he finds the car that hit the deer, the rude driver appears to have gotten into an accident; prompting Martin to steal the duffel bag filled with cash in his backseat. But will his actions have consequences? Can one small lie save him?

Martin Dockery has an undeniably infectious, engaging presence on stage. His energy is through the roof. The mere speed at which he tells this story is highly impressive. So as you can guess, his style of storytelling is fast-paced, yet still charming and funny. His wit and comedic chops are immediately noticeable once he's in the zone on stage; he completely dominates the stage. All in all, he's mesmerizing to watch and listen to.

1 Small Lie's set was simple yet effective: an array of various lamps around the stage. The colours of the lamps were controlled by Dockery on his phone (which at times admittedly, broke the immersion a tad) and the array of hues represented the time of day or weather conditions of the scene. It was a very intriguing choice, with the thunderstorm section of the story looking amazing on stage as the lamps flashed white periodically to represent the lightning. Besides that, a 58-and-a-half-minute musical backtrack accompanied Martin's story, serving as added ambiance.

Overall, 1 Small Lie was a play jam-packed with action, horror, and laughs. It's got everything you could want in a thrilling and engaging one-man show. The story is tied up with such a pleasant bow as the musical accompaniment drifts off, that your body will pull you subconsciously out of your seat for a standing ovation. I'd recommend this to all who love a good rollercoaster ride-type of one-man show, you don't want to miss this one!