‘A Most Secret War’ Revives Turing Affair

Tragic British scientist and heedless homosexual Alan Turing, previously the subject of “Breaking the Code,” is making his mistakes again in Kevin Patterson’s “A Most Secret War,” at Actors Alley.

This well-constructed version hits interesting facets of Turing’s character and gives a lucid portrait of his naive times and his landmark work in computers. Giatheatrics designed the marvelous early electronic monster at the production’s center, but the machine is not used to its fullest by director Jeremiah Morris. The action is expertly balanced and its moods clearly defined, but long pauses between scenes could be avoided by using Turing’s machine as the background for all the scenes--it’s as much a character as Turing.

Joe Garcia is exceptional as Turing, witty, almost cuddly, and heartbreaking in his blindness to the traps waiting for him in the real world. Most of the good cast double--Terry Evans stands out in five roles with fine dialect definition in each, as does Carol Keis as the woman whose hopeless love for Turing never fails, and John Shaw as his up-tight brother.

At 12135 Riverside Drive, North Hollywood; Fridays through Sunday s , 8 p.m.; mats. Oct. 28, Nov. 11; ends Nov. 17. $12-$15; (818) 986-2278.