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THEATER REVIEW : Youth, Experience Collide in ‘Mass Appeal’ : The writing is often clumsy, but the play is very easy to watch. And it’s good to see real-life issues thrashed about at the community theater level.

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SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

Youth and established authority conflict within the Roman Catholic Church in Bill C. Davis’ spirited “Mass Appeal,” now playing weekend matinees at the Conejo Players Theater in Thousand Oaks.

Fiery, committed seminarian Mark Dodson challenges popular parish priest Father Tim Farley for what Dodson sees as hypocrisy and complacency. As in virtually every youth-and-experience drama (be it set in the church, office, Western frontier, military, space or police force) there’s some give-and-take and maybe a bit of hasty judgment. While playwright Davis kids around along the way, he reaches some serious and maybe even disturbing conclusions. And it doesn’t take a bishop to realize that the characters are standing in for factions and philosophies within the church itself. Its punning, inappropriate title notwithstanding, this isn’t “Nunsense!”

As the play begins, Dodson rises in the middle of one of Farley’s “dialogue sermons” and questions why women aren’t allowed into the priesthood. Farley’s somewhat flip answer doesn’t satisfy Dodson, who responds with what he sees as biblical support. Later, in his office, Farley’s jovial public face fades. “You were challenging me in front of my congregation,” he tells Dodson. “I don’t like that.”

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He does appreciate Dodson’s spunkiness, though, and offers to help Dodson out of some trouble back at the seminary, again for sticking (some might say too self-righteously) to principles. Although female priests have disappeared from the dialogue, other potentially disturbing issues present themselves.

Jim Barker and Larry Gund turned in strong performances under Michael Sollazzo’s direction at Sunday’s opening, though everybody could have used a couple of days more rehearsal. Barker creates a rounded character in the tippling priest (there’s no end to the stereotypes here, but hey, it’s allegory), and Gund is thoroughly believable as the young firebrand.

A nice touch is the addition of Connie Wilson’s live hymn playing on the Conejo Players’ new organ, donated by one of the theater’s supporters.

Davis’ writing is often clumsy and diffuse, and the playwright is no Neil Simon (though he’d like to be) when it comes to snappy jokes. On the other hand, the play is very easy to watch, and it’s always good to see real-life issues thrashed about onstage--particularly at the community theater level where such material is not frequently performed.

Details

* WHAT: “Mass Appeal.”

* WHERE: Conejo Players Theater, 351 S. Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks.

* WHEN: Saturday and Sunday afternoons at 2:30 through Sept. 17.

* COST: All tickets $5.

* FYI: All seats are on a first-come, first-served basis, with no reservations accepted. For further information, call 495-3715.

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