Steal Heaven
Ernest intentions, not fully realized. Herbert Siguenza's world premiere tribute to Abbie Hoffman beams on and off. The Sixties radical lands a job in heaven: he must recruit the next great leader for change. Trish, a war veteran, may be the one, but needs training. And he, in a smart reversal, needs training too (the piece pokes comedic barbs at tactics then and now). The show unfolds -- and too slowly on opening night -- in set pieces. Some are keepers (like Trish's rap version of "Give Peace a Chance"); others (an LSD trip that do go on) need help. Wooly-haired and daffy, Siguenza's right at home as Hoffman, as is Summer Sprio, who showcases her versatility as Trish. And Mark Pinter plays an assortment of cameos, including George Burns (as "the Big Kahuna") and John Lennon. Pinter's spot on, but many need better material. What holds the piece together, and absolve some but not all of its foibles, is Siguenza's infectious spirit of Old Time Commitment to the Cause. Unlike the in-your-grill, agitprop theater of the Sixties, Steal Heaven is a comedy. And maybe Siguena's soft-pedaling is the right approach for the Facebook-friendly generation "waiting on the world to change" -- and assuming it will, for the better, all by itself. Worth a try.
When
Ongoing until Sunday, January 25, 2015
Hours
| Sundays, 2pm & 7pm |
| Wednesdays, 7pm |
| Thursdays, 8pm |
| Fridays, 8pm |