HOLIDAY THEATER REVIEWS : Capote’s ‘Memory’ Well-Performed

The Mark Taper Forum’s former holiday tradition of staged readings of Truman Capote’s short story “A Christmas Memory” ended in 1991 and its loss was keenly felt.

In his staged reading of the same story at Theatre Geo, director Geo Hartley opts for a less subtle emotional rendering than did the Taper’s Michael Peretzian--we see the tears. But the performances are acutely realized, overcoming the potential sentimentality.

Arthur Cybulski is a poignant Buddy, the young Capote abandoned to in-laws during the Depression. Marilyn Pitzer brings new depth to the role of his “friend,” the eccentric elderly caretaker determined to bake fruitcakes for strangers despite profound poverty.

Unfortunately, Theatre Geo opens the evening with a well-intended, high-concept Christmas “party” by Olivette Reardon titled “Mistletoe Mews.” It’s a mess. The stage is cluttered with an enormous cast (21 actors!) posing as friends and family making ornaments and singing carols at a piano. The isolated Christmas confessions seem like 12-Step testimonies at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

* “Mistletoe Mews” and “A Christmas Memory,” Theatre Geo, 1229 N. Highland Ave., Los Angeles. Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m. Ends Dec. 18. $12. (213) 466-1767. Running time: 2 hours.

This selection of holiday stage reviews is by The Times ‘ theater writers.