STAGE REVIEW : ‘Fatal Attraction’ Flirts Uneasily With Conventions of Mystery

First off, the “Fatal Attraction” at the Costa Mesa Civic Playhouse is not now nor has it ever been associated with the wildly popular movie of the same name.

The only similarities between that neurotic ode to the dangers of infidelity and Bernard Slade’s 1985 murder mystery is that both center on mayhem and have a strong gender angle. Like the film, Slade’s “Attraction” features a good-looking woman with an overbearing interest in homicide.

In this case, it’s Blair (Jill Cary Martin), a famous actress who doesn’t win Oscars or Emmys but does appear in People magazine a lot. She’s beautiful but a little twitchy, apparently the type Slade believes is irresistible to most men.

Sad-sack detective Gus (Lee Clark) certainly is drawn to her. He feels the heat only moments after showing up at her Nantucket beach house to investigate the murder of her husband, Morgan (John Brennan). Morgan has been stabbed to death by a wacko paparazzo (Gareth Provan), who is later stabbed to death by Blair while he’s trying to rape her.

None of the clues point to Blair, and, of course, Gus’ judgment is fogged by her great cheekbones. But then her agent (Diana Lyerla) shows up, hinting of a lesbian relationship with Blair. Then some other curious things happen. Then Gus really begins to worry.

If you pay too close attention to all this, you may begin to worry too. The plot has more than its share of incongruities--why, for instance, haven’t Blair and Morgan’s children been invited to their father’s funeral, an event that is crucially played? Oh yeah, it would gum up the action, as well as a few visual cliches.

My favorite was when the missing photographer emerges, a la Dracula from his crypt, out of the spa in the living room. These sorts of “rising from the dead” moments of terror are so overused, they evoke giggles instead of shivers.

It may be that “Attraction” is supposed to be, first and foremost, a comedy--the bit with the cheese-board knife (everybody is either killed or threatened with it) is, intentionally or not, a hoot, as is all the maneuvering around that bothersome Jacuzzi.

At opening night last Thursday, there were some acting and technical miscues that didn’t help matters. A few lighting and sound cues were missed, helping to throw off the balance of this Pati Tambellini-directed production.

There could have also been more voltage, both erotic and mystery-wise, between Martin and Clark. Martin did, however, capture the character’s innate sophistication, and Clark managed to give Gus a measure of working-class style.

The most interesting moments came from Provan, who had the play’s briefest but scariest role. Lorraine Pasqualini also presented a capable performance as the first cop on the scene .

‘FATAL ATTRACTION’

A Costa Mesa Civic Playhouse production of Bernard Slade’s drama. Directed by Pati Tambellini. With Jill Cary Martin, John Brennan, Gareth Provan, Lorraine Pasqualini, Lee Clark and Diana Lyerla. Set by Jeff Ault. Sound by Jim Bell. Lighting by David Sharp. Plays Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. through June 24 at 661 Hamilton St., Costa Mesa. Tickets: $8 and $9. (714) 650-5269.