Family : Aesop: Turning the Fables, Making Them Shine Again

If you’ve ever rummaged through a bargain bin, you already know the thrill of discovering that one item among the chaff that, with a little elbow grease, is certain to become a real treasure.

That’s the way it is with “Aesop’s Fables: Rags, Ropes, & Sticks.” Adapted from the original stories by Diane Doyle and presented by the Alternative Repertory Theatre in its tiny Santa Ana home, this hourlong show is a near-perfect gem. But to really see its luster, audiences should come prepared for a workout--intellectually. The first family-oriented production presented by the 8-year-old ART continues Fridays through Sundays through April 15.

Like the stories on which it is based, there is nothing flashy about “Fables.” The physical setting is austere, and the actors are in street clothes, performing in the round with the audience literally inches away from the action. The central visual focus is a small black and white mosaic on the floor that depicts characters from Aesop’s classic stories. The rags, ropes and sticks of the title are the only props used by the six-member cast.

Such sparse visuals notwithstanding, the results are rich--if the viewer is willing to put in some mental effort (ART recommends the show for ages 6 and up. Younger children may not be able to stay tuned in and could be disruptive in the 61-seat house. But any child who enjoys listening to a well-told story should enjoy this immensely).

Directed by ART’s Patricia L. Terry and ably performed by a stellar troupe of adults and children, “Fables” flows seamlessly from story to story in an understated way that emphasizes the wisdom of the stories but is never dry or preachy.

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Doyle’s script deserves much of the credit for the production’s success (Doyle is on hiatus from South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, where she long has been director of the company’s Young Conservatory). Originally a 20-minute piece presented by YC members during last spring’s Imagination Celebration, it has been fleshed out considerably to include 18 fables bound together by a cohesive story line. “Fables” opens when a family of tourists, being herded by a guide through the ruins of Delphi, stops momentarily at the mosaic.

The guide (Kathryn Bird) delivers a dry monologue about Aesop and is about to hustle the family onto the next point of interest when a woman (Tasha Witkin) restoring the mosaic offers to act out some of the fables. The two children (Adrian Barker and Adrienne Tygenhof), who have been bored out of their shorts by the tour, are intrigued by the idea, and soon they, their parents (Kyle Jones and Ryan Larson) and ultimately the guide accept the worker’s invitation.

Using a couple of dropcloths, a length of rope and a few small paintbrushes and stirring sticks as props and rhythm instruments, the cast presents such familiar tales as “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” and “The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse” along with several less often told, including “The Milkmaid and Her Pail.”

The moral of each fable is spelled out. Still, despite a few overlong and somewhat lofty monologues, the lessons really come across when the characters mull the stories over among themselves and offer their thoughts as to how the tales might apply to their own lives. Although the stories are ancient, the dialogue is modern, with popular kid slang and the occasional snippet of a pop tune thrown in to keep things bright.

Terry’s ensemble is top notch. Barker, 12, and Tygenhof, 10, are wonderfully at ease and focused and Bird, a frequent ART performer, is suitably prim and pushy as the guide; she also segues easily between the animal characters she portrays.

At Saturday’s matinee, Jones and Larson started out a little flat as dad and mom but quickly picked up steam during the fables; Jones especially has a gift for physical comedy. Witkin, meanwhile, was the cast’s inspiration and engine, guiding with wit or earnestness as each tale demanded and helping to emphasize each one’s unique value.

* “Aesop’s Fables: Rags, Ropes, & Sticks,” Alternative Repertory Theatre, 1636 S. Grand Ave., Santa Ana. Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 1 and 3 p.m., Sundays at 1 p.m. through April 15. (714) 836-7929.