‘Who Killed Kaspar?’ Misses a Strong Link

Howard Burman’s 90-minute musical mystery “Who Killed Kaspar Hauser?” at the Player’s Theatre on the Cal State Long Beach campus lacks any haunting theme or melody and never answers the question: Why should anyone care about the appearance and subsequent murder of this 19th century figure?

As conceived and created by Joanne Gordon and Burman--the latter providing the book and lyrics with music by Rob Woyshner--civilization is represented by a quartet of archetypes. The stern Captain Leinsdorf (Matthias Flueckiger), the kindly young Juliette (Marvette Williams), the older, religious Annaliese (Evelyn Halus) and the cold, intellectual Professor Daumer (Michael LeBeau).

The Leinsdorf-Juliette and Annaliese-Daumer romantic entanglements are not convincing, but distracting.

David Walker plays Hauser with bird-like fragility and childlike simplicity. The wonder of his rapid progress from an invalid who could barely walk or speak to one who might attempt to write his autobiography and create ethereal drawings isn’t shown.

The real Hauser appeared in Nuremberg in 1828. Nuremberg’s mayor felt Hauser must be nobly born because he initially learned quickly, displaying an innate intelligence and artistic talent that were then believed to be inherent to nobility. Almost 100 years later, theories of Hauser’s nobility and a royal murder conspiracy have gained credence.

The murky nature of Hauser’s identity and his brief life in the world after a childhood of cruel confinement are suggested by Burman’s minimalist black set, with hanging Venetian blinds and the smoky, billowing haze. Yet under Gordon’s somber direction, none of the swashbuckling excitement or heady theories about child development excite this limp musical.

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* “Who Killed Kaspar Hauser?,” California Repertory Company, Cal State Long Beach, Player’s Theatre at the Theatre Arts Department, Long Beach. Wednesdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m. Ends Sept. 18. $10. (562) 985-5526. Running time: 1 hour, 30 minutes.