"Apollo" Soars; "Ghost" Needs Work or Will Disappear

"Apollo: Part 1: Lebensraum"

Playing through July 3 at the Kirk Douglas Theater in Culver City is "Apollo-Part 1: Lebensraum," by far the best play of the inaugural season at the Douglas. In a very untraditional and inventive way, "Apollo" focuses on the space race to the moon with an interesting (and to this reviewer, unknown) twist - it focuses on former Nazi war criminals who were extricated from post-war Germany by the US government to work at NASA. The play is well acted, visually stunning and extremely compelling.

It is worth noting how this play succeeds beyond another well done political play now playing at the Taper, "Stuff Happens" (see June 11 posting for review). "Stuff Happens" suffers at times from playing too much like a recitation of recent headlines. The problem is that the events depicted have happened too recently to allow for a powerful philosophical perspective. By contrast, "Apollo," while admittedly somewhat one-sided in perspective, uses its tilted perspective to illustrate a well known historical event with disturbing dimensions that have been hidden from the public psyche. Viewers owe a debt of gratitude to Director Nancy Keystone and the Critical Mass Performance Group for a well researched play which is performed in a unique and intellectually stimulating fashion.

I should note that the audience with which I saw "Apollo" seemed split over the show. If my audience barometer was working correctly that night, I would say 1/4 of the audience wanted the play to end 10 minutes into the first act, 1/2 if the audience thought the play was interesting but too odd for their tastes, and the remaining 1/4 (the group to which I belonged) thought "Apollo" was one of the finest originals plays to premiere in Los Angeles in years. This group eagerly awaits "Apollo: Part 2," which I understand will delve into the civil rights movement's intersection with the race to the moon.

Rating: ***1/2

"The Ghost And Mrs. Muir"

Another World Premiere, this one a musical entitled "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" is playing at the Noho Arts Center in North Hollywood. "Ghost" is a well cast and well produced little show that works well in its charming, recently remodeled theater. Rumor is the show is aiming to work its way to Broadway. I fear more work than is possible is needed to make this show succeed on a Broadway stage. Why not just keep this show where it works best - in a small house where one forgives most of this show's unfixable shortcomings? If you are looking for a nice little musical in the Valley, see this show now before its ambitions overtake its appealing elements.

Rating: ***

Next posting: My New York Spring/Summer Theater Report