'On the Beach' premieres at Carpenter Center

Since the introduction of California Repertory Company seven years ago, the Cal State Long Beach graduate theater arts program has been one to take risks, according to the company's Associate Artistic Producing Director Ron Lindblom. This year is no exception.

"On the Beach," CalRep's play premiere of the '96-'97 season, is not only an introduction to the season, the play itself is an original script created by Howard Burman.

Set in Melbourne, Australia, the story focuses on the last days of life on earth brought on by nuclear war.

Though the theme is dark, Burman managed to create characters with warm personalities and even a few giggles along the way.

Quick-witted delivery of sarcasm about the impending extinction of life was the type of comic relief injected into this dark play by goofy scientist John Osborne, played by John Shepard. There is a bit of comedy relief surrounding the dark plot.

The drama and tension emanates from the play's key characters Peter, played by Matt Southwell, and Moira, played by Penelope Miller-Lindblom.

Southwell is convincing as the naval officer in a surprisingly jovial manner but can deliver and explosion of emotion at some of the most intense and serious moments of the play.

Similarly, Miller-Lindblom creates a myriad of facial expressions making it difficult to miss the emotion she is forging to display as the loose yet vulnerable alcoholic, bent on living it up and drowning her fright.

The two actors are well-cast and add to the entertainment value of the play.

The play also features the wind as the evil that carries certain death, improvised by flutist Rena Urso, which lends an eerie mood to the already dark rendition.

Although the set is sparse, consisting of a bit of sand and what looks to be a bowling ball half-protruding from the stage, it is effective. The cause of the lacking set is blamed on a shrinking set budget. Fortunately, the acting made up for whatever decoration was missing.

For that reason alone "On the Beach" is worth seeing. The production runs through Oct. 19.

Tickets can be purchased at the Arts Ticket office located in the Carpenter Performing Arts Center at (310) 985-7000.