STAGE REVIEW : Lack of a Pulse, Heart Deaden ‘Exchanges’

Alan Ayckbourn’s “Intimate Exchanges” is a poorly conceived “concept play.” The 1982 comedy, now playing at the North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach, hinges on a few theatrical gimmicks that grow tiresome in a hurry. Despite hard work from the two-person cast, this production of “Intimate Exchanges” cannot maintain audience interest for more than a few minutes at a time.

Ayckbourn, who churns out comedies nearly as fast as Stephen King whips out horror novels, crafted this piece as if it were a mathematical equation, and it has about that much heart and soul. The script provides 16 different “plays” within the play, allowing actors to choose which route to take at crucial intervals, and, in effect, which play to perform.

In this case the North Coast Rep selected just one version, and it will be repeated throughout the run.

In the program notes, the author labled his own concept “theatrically exciting.” In actuality, the concept itself is not apparent in the performance. The actors still have to say their lines and they still have to tell the audience a story. This 2 1/2-hour production drags, and Ayckbourn must take much of the blame. He placed too much emphasis on a preconceived notion and too little on the construction of an interesting narrative.

The North Coast Repertory’s “Intimate Exchanges” includes six characters, but centers on the story of Celia, a dithering, middle-class woman caught in a stale marriage, and Lionel, a young, robust gardener with little direction in life. Celia hires Lionel to fix up her back-yard garden, and, amid their mutual sexual attraction, the two embark on a business scheme together. The business, “Tea Service Catering,” fails miserably at its debut and following a confusing climactic scene outside a church, the play suddenly ends.

That is about it.

Local actors Brian Salmon and Ann Lyon-Boutelle struggle hard to try to pull this production together. The two performers are faced with a daunting task, playing three roles each and changing costumes backstage incessantly throughout the play.

Salmon, a gifted performer with a great sense of comedic timing, succeeds in delineating his multiple roles. His Lionel prances about the set with youthful energy; his take on the priggish Toby makes it clear why Celia’s marriage has gone sour. And Salmon’s reading of the nerdy Miles is good for a few laughs as well. But, despite strong characterizations, the audience is given no reason to care about any of these characters, and not even Salmon can create a compelling story line where none exists.

Lyon-Boutelle struggled visibly in this production. As the neurotic Celia her performance appeared scattered and rambling. Lyon-Boutelle seemed to be perpetually looking for something on stage in attempts to find her character. Her portrayal of the young punker Sylvie and the stiff-lipped Irene are more competent, but again, the playwright does not provide her much to work with.

Olive Blakistone’s direction failed to address the dead time written into this script, one of the most problematic elements of the play. While one of the two characters is offstage changing costume, the other performer is left alone on stage to fill the gaps between scenes. The costume changes seem to take forever, and one sympathizes with the performers as they struggle to do something, anything, during these long pauses. As director, Blakistone is responsible for ironing out these transitions.

North Coast Rep resident designer Ocie Robinson also struggled with this production. The veteran set and light designer delivered a flat, uninteresting backdrop for the play’s three different outdoor scenes. Brushing with broad strokes, Robinson’s design consisted of bold, basic colors. Utilizing red brick walls, green Astroturf floorings and blue-skied backdrops, Robinson’s design created a cartoon-like stage picture that seemed inappropriate for this play.

More importantly, Robinson’s design created a disturbing problem with the sets: Between scenes three and four, stage hands spent the better part of five minutes disassembling Robinson’s onstage tent as the audience waited for the show to continue.

Only costume designer John-Bryan Davis survived this production unscathed. His costumes and wigs all worked within the context of the play, visually separating the six characters from one another with wit and intelligence.

But, in the end, “Intimate Exchanges” is a play without a pulse, and this production fails to forge a synthetic heart.

“INTIMATE EXCHANGES”

Directed by Olive Blakistone. Written by Alan Ayckbourn. Set and light design, Ocie Robinson. Sound design, Michael Shapiro. Costume design, John-Bryan Davis. Cast: Ann Lyon-Boutelle and Brian Salmon. At the North Coast Repertory Theatre, Lomas Santa Fe Plaza, Solana Beach. Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays 2 and 7 p.m. $10-$14. 481-1055.