Theater Reviews: Hot Pants, Cold Feet, Liberty Inn, Side by Side by Sondheim

PHOTO BY JOHN DEMITA

Liberty Inn

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• Darrell Dennis
• The Groundlings
• Dakin Matthews
• Musicals
• Arts, Entertainment, and Media

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TALES OF AN URBAN INDIAN Though it bears the imprint of his Native American roots, Canadian writer-performer Darrell Dennis' quasi-autobiographical solo show weaves a story that might fit any confused youth, regardless of background. Played out on a sparsely furnished set (a table and chair and a few boxes), the piece recounts the coming of age of one Simon Douglas, who lives with his teenage mother Tina and grandmother on a reservation, until his mom is wooed by a white guy, who spirits them off to Vancouver. Later, after Tina's politically correct lover berates her for becoming too assimilated, they return. From there, Dennis' yarn oscillates between the two locales as it tracks Simon's sexual awakenings, his adolescent angst, his discovery of the theater, his descent into alcohol and drug addiction and, finally, his remorse and redemption. Throughout, Simon is portrayed as coping with identity issues in an unsympathetic or patronizing Caucasian world. One of the piece's more effective dramatic highlights involves the death of Simon's childhood friend Daniel, a young gay driven to suicide by the cruel taunting of his peers, including Simon himself. Directed by Herbie Barnes, the production relies on R. Craig Wolf's lighting shifts to mark scene changes and intensify dramatic highlights, with variable success. Dennis, who depicts all roles, is an animated and insightful storyteller, but his performance at times seems set to automatic pilot; also, his juxtaposition of a stand-up comedy approach with sequences of emotional intensity — such as his remorse over Daniel's death — can be jarring. Autry National Center, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park; Thurs.-Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., 2 & 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m.; thru March 28. (323) 667-2000. (Deborah Klugman)