‘Naughty!’ at the Melrose: Tedious, Terminally Cute

Sometimes sin is provocative. And sometimes, as in “Naughty, Naughty!,” sin is just a three-letter word. This tedious, terminally cute revue at the Melrose Theatre is even more more depressing because of the troupe’s youth. Evidently these California Institute of the Arts alumni have nothing more on their minds than careerism, celebrities and whatever is currently selling on the comedy cable channel. There’s no worry about censorship here. These kids automatically censor their material to accommodate the marketplace.

The evening’s most entertaining sketch concerns an alcoholic “Annie.” The best writing can be located in the program, where director Matt Olmos lists his latest achievements: “ . . . Yada. Blah blah. Blah.”

* “Naughty, Naughty!,” Melrose Theatre, 733 N. Seward, Hollywood. Saturdays, 10:30 p.m. Ends March 12. $8. (310) 281-1921. Running time: 2 hours, 15 minutes.

Version of ‘Elektra’ a Murky Venture

Sophocles’ “Elektra” would be difficult under any condition, but director James Burke has incorporated quake repairs and scaffolding into his production design at Ivy Sub-Station. Furthering his chaotic concept, Burke concocts a melange of performance styles, from camp to sitcom to Brechtian, and then tosses in a cowboy costume for good measure. (Orestes has returned to right the wrongs of yesteryear, and therefore is a cowboy.) The result is murky at best, incoherent at its worst.

The chaos is compounded by Ezra Pound’s translation/adaptation. Pound’s occasional forays into theater were erratic, and infuriatingly prosaic. This mixture of modern and antique styles eludes dramatic coherence. Perhaps Burke was trying to accurately stage Pound’s esoteric and eclectic theories, but even as an academic exercise, this “Elektra” lacks educational focus.

* “Elektra,” Ivy Sub-Station, 9070 Venice Blvd., Culver City. Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m., Sundays, 7 p.m. Ends March 6. $12.50-$15. (213) 660-8587. Running time: 1 hour, 30 minutes.