A WHODUNIT SPOOF TOPS SCR PROGRAM

Audience participation was the key ingredient in the success of South Coast Repertory’s Young Conservatory Players production “Who? What? Where? When? Why?” over the weekend. Saturday’s audience barely came through.

The 19-member cast, ages 10 to 17, all graduates of SCR’s children’s acting program, had the tricky business of presenting an improvisational show consisting of five sketchily outlined stories.

The last story, a mystery movie spoof, was the most successful.

Glenna O’Hara’s Zanzibar Diamond is missing. Lady private eye Slick is going to solve the case. The audience is required to fill in details of each character’s personality, as well as missing script lines, and also create sound effects for Glenna--clicking heels, squeaking doors, ominous “Dragnet”-type music.

Cast members rose to the occasion here, maintained their characters and thought fast on their feet. The audience finally warmed up, supplying Glenna with a 402-year-old sister, a husband with a broken nose, a French maid and daughters harboring a secret.

The other stories never came to life. Each had too much dead time and not enough clear focus, coming to limp conclusions--one long segment about a vacationing family ended with a visit to Knott’s Berry Farm, where everyone collapsed at the sight of a roller coaster. A mad scientist’s machine went out of control and was stopped with the push of a button, and a king, who couldn’t remember his name, finally did.

Dwight Richard Odle’s set was colorful and props--brightly painted wooden shapes--were skillfully maneuvered by the cast to create distinctly different settings for each story, while Steven Retsky’s lighting artfully changed moods.

Director Diane Doyle and improvisation coach Greg Atkins deserve a nod--their young cast showed discipline, keeping in mind the basic form of each piece, and did shine in the finale.