STAGE REVIEW : ‘Nautilus’: A Play in Search of Plot : Despite 500 pages of notes, three drafts and several private readings, the play still hasn’t found its way.

There’s something very fishy about “Nautilus.”

Writer-director Larry Eisenberg writes in his program notes for the Group Repertory Theatre production that his play has been in the works for more than 1 1/2 years. Eisenberg reports that, via an involved process, he created a one-act piece out of the stuff of actors’ improvisations based on something called “The Crawford Slip Method,” devised by C. C. Crawford, a USC public administration professor.

Later, Eisenberg goes on, his one-act “wanted to be a full-length play.” And so, “after many months of intensive work, 500 pages of notes, three drafts and several private readings,” it was readied for a full production.

Whew.

One would imagine after such preparatory rigor that “Nautilus,” like its mollusk namesake, has grown into something worth the months and sweat. Instead of arriving groomed for the race, it is a numbing example of horse-by-committee work, utterly confused at every step.

At one moment, Eisenberg’s comedy-drama-farce-fantasy is a tale of a younger brother (Michael J. Fox look-alike Sean Stack) and his older, mentally impaired sister (Bonnie Snyder) and what he’s going to do with her now that he’s selling his deceased folks’ New Mexico diner, the Nautilus.

Then, it’s about an outlaw couple (the hapless E. Danny Murphy and big ‘n’ tough Kathleen R. Delaney) holing up in the place until Murphy fixes their car.

Then, it’s about a swaggering, trumpet-blowing salesman (Philip McKeown, not loud enough) who cooks up insane theme-park development plans for the Nautilus property--as if Cal Worthington had suddenly mutated into Walt Disney.

Then, it’s about the diner’s resident catfish, Charlie (a charming, bubbling, wiggling creation by Sally Canfield), whose thoughts can be read by Snyder’s Clara.

Then, it’s about Stack’s Jimmy deciding to blow off Clara and high-tail it to Mexico with Delaney’s Frances. And then Jimmy decides not to, remembering his responsibilities. And then Jimmy changes his mind again. (You tremble at the thought of what traipsing through Mexico would be like with this guy.)

And we haven’t even mentioned the subplots.

However, this narrative hornet’s nest can’t conceal sclerotic pacing, consistently botched physical comedy and a failure to follow through on any points. Charlie is the fantasy element--he’s played up in the show’s literature as the star--but so underused that were they to drain the tank and eat him for dinner, he wouldn’t be missed.

Stack reflects this whole enterprise: Darting back and forth, unsure and rather vaguely blank. The Crawford Slip Method might work in public administration, but, this time at least, not in theater.

Where and When

What: “Nautilus.”

Location: Group Repertory Theatre, 10900 Burbank Blvd., North Hollywood.

Hours: 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 7 p.m. Sundays, indefinitely.

Price: $15.

Running time: 2 hours, 15 minutes.

Call: (818) 769-7529.