Dramatic Illusion

All is not as it seems in “Mirage,” an evening of three one-acts at the Alliance Repertory Company.

That’s not only the theme for each installment, but also for the program as a whole. A pair of comedies leads you to think this is a lighthearted evening, but after intermission things turn unpredictably dark.

The comic tone is set by “For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls,” Christopher Durang’s hilarious parody of “The Glass Menagerie.” Amanda (Candice Khristensun) tries futilely to prepare the feeble Lawrence (Greg Forshay) to meet his “feminine caller.” He just wants to play with his collection of glass cocktail stirrers.

The caller, Ginny (Sabina Brend), isn’t so feminine. And she doesn’t hear so well, either.

Director Robert Neches paints in some broad strokes here--Ginny is particularly cartoonish. But with Khristensun, Forshay, and, in the ending soliloquy by Lawrence’s brother Tom (Joey Trbovich, he draws out some sharpened blades with which to slice and dice this American classic.

In “Heavy Petting,” it seems that Max (Jeff Juday) is conducting an intensely emotional and complicated affair with Duke (Derious Kevins). But Max’s wife Gracie (Meredith Autry) is getting suspicious.

Understudy Juday turns in a performance better suited to a sitcom than farce, but it hardly matters because Kevins would steal the scene from anyone. His physical comedy is not only perfect for the part, it is a complete aerobic workout.

“Heavy Petting” could easily descend into one overtaxed joke, but playwright Kiff Scholl and director Jeff Doucette push the humor into unpredictable--but also brutally familiar--territory.

After intermission, “Mirage” turns regrettably serious with “The Stain,” a new play by Clara York, who also stars, and Shannon Presby, who also directed.

York plays a young wife who is, from the start, clearly emotionally unstable. Why? Maybe it has something to do with her police officer husband (Christopher Halsted) who disappears whenever anyone else approaches.

York has some nice moments as an actress, but this playlet is too slight to pack much of an emotional punch.

BE THERE

“Mirage” at Alliance Repertory Company, 3204 W. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank. Friday-Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 6:30 p.m. Ends Aug. 30. $12. (213) 660-8587.