FUTURA, Portland Center Stage, Grade C+

by Jordan Harrison
Directed by Kip Fagan
Cast:
Lori Larsen  .....  The Professor
Christopher David Murray  .....  Gash
Kerry Ryan  .....  Grace
Phillip Clark  .....   Edward

sez says: future time--the virtual world of letters has replaced the written word.   the result: No books, No hand writing, No privacy.  We open with a professor lecturing her class about Fonts and the written word. She is kidnapped by people who want to stop the consolidation of all knowledge 'by any means necessary' ie: they are terrorists.  Lots of conversation takes place about the dangers and changes that accompany the technological changes we are experiencing today.   The first half of this show was great--'the professor's lecture' --the second half was less engaging because the issues and their implications were not clearly delineated....and what was suggested was not fully thought out.  So it seemed like a good idea--but needed to get sharper toward the end--not duller.  The acting was very good but the play, while not BAD--was also not GOOD either: It needs more work.  It was fine for a JAW reading (which is what it was--a work in progress) but it seems like it was choose to fill space, cheaply, in the season's offerings.