As the play begins, three well-dressed people introduce themselves, and their careers.

“I’m a typographer.”

“I’m a geographer.”

“I’m a stenographer. Well, a court reporter.”

Sounds basic, but don’t let this simple introduction mislead you. Because this talkative little play isn’t designed to tell a conventional story. Instead, playwright Adam Bock wants to bring us into the mystery of typography…

(play excerpt)

Geography and even stenography come in for similarly rapturous appreciations. These characters love their jobs, and that passion leads into comedy, as each specialist argues strenuously that THEIR profession is the best. The actors often face the audience, speaking from the heart, placing you-the-viewer in an almost participatory role.

This is a clever show, a piece of brain candy that leads viewers off the beaten path. It does ask you to adjust your expectations about entertainment. It’s mostly conversation, sparsely staged, and the topics – including the Strait of Gibraltar – are unusual. But the talk is compelling, turning this show into a surprisingly funny, unexpected treat.

(Music, rising).

"The Typographer's Dream" continues at Capital Stage on the Delta King Riverboat in Old Sacramento through August 17th.