THEATER REVIEW : Fishburne’s ‘Riff Raff’ a Gritty Evolution

“Riff Raff,” the new play written and directed by film actor Laurence Fishburne, has the high energy and tight focus of a ‘90s film noir. The creators call it a work in progress, but with its edgy acting and superior production values this gritty one-act at Theatre Geo hardly needs a disclaimer.

The setting is a trashed and abandoned flat on New York’s Lower East Side, where ex-con Mike (Fishburne) and junkie Torch (Titus Welliver) have fled after botching a heroin heist. There they run into Tony (rapper Heavy D), Mike’s old partner in crime, who may or may not be working for the drug kingpin Mike and Torch just robbed.

Over a tense 24-hour period, with car alarms and police sirens blaring outside the hide-out, the trio smoke, eat, reminisce and shoot the breeze as a series of betrayals and revelations alters the geometry among the characters. By the time the script ratchets down, Fishburne has shown how these urban desperadoes are forced to accept their grim destiny.

As a writer, Fishburne seems inspired by David Mamet’s “American Buffalo.” “Riff Raff” never matches Mamet’s deft, economical use of language, and some plot points seem contrived and half-baked.

But director Fishburne keeps the pace brisk and suspenseful, and all three actors turn in crisp, tough portrayals.

* “Riff Raff,” Theatre Geo, 1229 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood. Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 1 p.m. Dark Thanksgiving. Ends Dec. 18. $20. (213) 466-1767. Running time: 1 hour, 25 minutes.