‘Sight Unseen’ Focuses on Lost Love, Opportunities

Editing is everything in Donald Margolies’ “Sight Unseen.” The past is revealed between glimpses of the present as we learn about lost love and the repercussions of denial and hype.

Jeff Robinson’s scenic design sketches into place objects in a cold English farmhouse with the barest hint of three dimensionality. Scenic changes involve unfolding large canvas-like flats. Under director Craig Carlisle, the mood of this piece is more cerebral than passionate, a fitting choice for this cautionary tale about an artist who embraces controversy as an act of rebellion and good marketing.

In this presentation by Stevedore Productions in association with the Authentic Company, the artiste, Jonathan (Bill Block), is a bit off-putting. As Jonathan’s former muse, Patricia, Cheryl Dooley makes a surprising, heart-aching transformation in the last scene as we see Patricia before her spirit was squelched by pragmatism and the cold damp of England. Bjorn Johnson’s Nick, Patricia’s husband, undergoes a more subtle change--from an abrupt, graceless man to the most sympathetic character in the play.

The message here is more obvious than in Margolies’ more recent work, “Dinner With Friends.” Here, much of the tension is based on our understanding and misunderstanding of the characters and situations. But Margolies hasn’t made a cheap shot about the practitioners of modern art. He’s more concerned about missed opportunities for love and a fulfilling life.

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“Sight Unseen,” McCadden Place Theatre, 1157 N. McCadden Place, Hollywood. Thursdays-Sundays, 8 p.m. $15. (310) 358-2969. Running time: 2 hours, 20 minutes.