FESTIVAL ’90 : STAGE REVIEWS / OPEN FESTIVAL : ‘L.A. and Beyond’ Needs More Work

“L.A. and Beyond” is the maiden voyage of a new theater group called Helikon, “emphasizing the female voice,” at the Zephyr Theatre with three one-acts. The name is from the birthplace of the Muses, but apparently they weren’t invited along.

For a first effort the group should have looked for plays with more substance. Worst of the batch is Alice Gerstenberg’s “Overtones,” a brief, bitchy battle between social rivals and their alter egos. It’s amateurish and dated, and the participants look silly, unable to catch the style the play obviously requires.

Susan Champagne’s equally silly “A Good Touch,” looked better when first seen at a Padua Hills Playwrights’ Festival; the surface direction and performances do little to disguise the play’s flaws.

Best of the trio is Trish Johnson’s “The Art of Self-Defense,” an extended session at a T’ai Chi class with some sketchy peripheral stories that need more development.

The most rewarding performance spotlights Sydney Coberly’s empathic sense of fun as a young mother exasperated by quadruplet toddlers.

At 7456 Melrose Ave., Hollywood; Tuesdays & Wednesdays, 8 p.m.; indefinite. $10; (213) 466-1767.