STAGE REVIEWS : FOX-BRENTON’S IMPERIOUS ‘DON JUAN’

David Fox-Brenton, who has replaced Henry Darrow as “Don Juan in Hell” at Room for Theatre, is no stranger to the play.

The idea for this production originated with Fox-Brenton and Director Norman Cohen. But personal reasons prevented Fox-Brenton from participating in the early rehearsal period, so Darrow took the role of Don Juan instead. Then, almost at the same time as the scheduled opening, Darrow accepted a lucrative job on “One Life to Live.” Within a week after the opening, Fox-Brenton had taken over the role.

Although he may have been thinking about the play for a long time, Fox-Brenton still wasn’t familiar with its nooks and crannies as of last week. No role requires a more agile tongue, and Fox-Brenton’s tongue slipped too many times. Like his predecessor, he also referred to his script too often. The scripts and their supporting music stands should serve more as metaphors than as memory aids--and the other actors were noticeably less dependent on them.

As the production--which sparkles in every other way--has been extended through March 8, perhaps the best time to see it will be in a few weeks. Apart from his line readings, Fox-Brenton plays Don Juan more impatiently and imperiously than did Darrow. Hell makes this fellow’s skin crawl, and one can better understand why Harold Gould’s delightful devil will be glad to see him go.

Information: 818-509-0459.

‘LOUIE’: MARRIAGES ON THE ROCKS

Lanford Wilson’s “Serenading Louie” dates from the early ‘70s, when he was experimenting with form.

Thus two suburban couples inhabit the same living room set (which is too small for even one such affluent household, in Sydney Z. Litwack’s design at Actors Alley). Occasionally the characters mingle on stage, when they’re supposedly in their separate homes.

Wilson’s way with words was readily apparent in this study of crumbling marriages, but he overdid the abstract moaning about the state of the world. And a violent ending, while temporarily chilling, serves more as a sensationalistic way to stop all the talk than as something that would actually happen to these characters.

Jordan Charney’s staging features sharply hewn performances by Julie Payne and Steven Kavner. But the play might make more sense if it were set in its period. Anachronistic references to demonstrating students are confusing.

Performances are at 4334 Van Nuys Blvd., Fridays through Sundays at 8 p.m., through Feb. 28 (818) 986-7440.