Features

Climb down the stairs inside La Val’s Subterranean Restaurant on Euclid Avenue (half a block away from the university’s North Gate) and you might think you’ve abruptly space-traveled into one of New York’s Off-Off Broadway theaters. It’s the kind of place where you wouldn’t be overly surprised to see a version of “Hamlet” in which Laertes is played by a golden retriever. (I swear I saw that performed in New York in what could have passed for the Subterranean’s twin sister.) 

The small, oddly shaped, and very black basement has for years been the home for newish theatre companies who’ve made it past their first efforts and are ready to take the next step up into a stable venue. Not surprisingly, the ones who get as far as La Val’s tend to be energetic and innovative and, often, very good. After six seasons of bouncing around from one venue to another, the Impact Theatre company is still jubilant about their first season in a place they can call their own—at least until the lease is up. 

So far, the company, which is currently presenting its second production at La Val’s (“Say You Love Satan” by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa), has brought in new material of first quality. 

“Satan” is a light-hearted, often hilarious, gay-themed fantasy which deservedly won first prize in Manhattan’s Fringe Theatre contest. Perhaps one of the nicest things about the play is that it doesn’t seem to have a whole lot of hidden meanings—it’s a bit of a rarity to encounter a new production which seems to be there just for fun. 

What we have are the complications in the love life of a New York graduate student—who is much given to Doesteyevsky. Andrew, played by 

David Ballog, drops a too-nice doctor boyfriend Jerrod (Brian Erlich) for an exciting stranger named Jack (Eric Moore), who admits to being the Devil’s son—but might actually be the devil himself. 

Either way, Jack is very bad news indeed, and it takes a lot of effort by Andrew’s bossy friend Bernadette (Courtney Greenlaw) and a Druid Cultist Martin (played by Ross Pasquale who also appears as yet another of Andrew’s boyfriends) to straighten things up. John Atwood plays a gay bouncer at a club where Andrew and Jack go on their first date, and Nomadicdj is the club’s DJ.  

It would be tedious to go through such a large—and strong—cast and comment on their work individually. It just isn’t necessary—there isn’t a weak performance in the lot.  

Like a great chunk of Impact’s productions, this is a West Coast premier. The company is clearly carrying through on their commitment to produce new plays that an 18 to 35 year-old audience will find compelling. 

What they’re doing is important: If live theater is to survive as an art form, it is critical for younger people to develop an interest in the medium. Over-all, the great majority of theater audiences comes from an aging demographic. Some day it’s bound to go “pop” and disappear completely. So far, Impact has been successful—over 80% of their audience comes from the younger group they’ve set out to woo. We need more companies throughout the country serving the same purpose. 

But it just doesn’t seem fair for the kids to have all the fun. While some of us may be showing a bit of wear and tear, a funny play and a great production is still a funny play and a great production. Can we come, too?  

The good news is that Director Joy Meads, in good Berkeley style, hastily insists that there are no prejudices here. If you’re willing to come down the stairs (and La Val’s has fixed the banister very nicely) they’ll be quite pleased to accept your modest payment. Part of the company’s commitment is to keep the price down to something that their elected demographic can afford—college students, you know.