Search & Destroy

By JULIO MARTINEZ

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Search & Destroy (Tamarind Theatre, Hollywood; 99 seats; $ 12 top) Charles Wainberg and J.C. Larsen with the Strong Project present a play in two acts by Howard Korder; director, David Hussey; producer, David Poynter; sets, Nelson Coates; lighting, Peter Edwards; sound design, Hussey. Opened and reviewed Nov. 4, 1996; runs through Dec. 4. Running time: 2 hours, 15 minutes. Cast: David Poynter (Martin), Felipe J. Riojas (Kim), Robert Canaan (Ron), David Weisenberg (Accountant), Rachel Mass (Lauren), Yeardley Smith (Marie), Sean Gavigan (Robert), Rick Felkins (Roger), Charles Carroll (Dr. Waxling), Scott Albright (Guard/Nunez), Allen Scotti (Pamfilo). Despite generally capable performances by a committed ensemble, Howard Korder's plot in "Search and Destroy" is so poorly constructed, it is impossible to empathize with the plight of the hero, let alone care what happens to him. Director David Hussey impedes matters further with his uninspired staging and awkward scene changes. Korder's play concerns the odyssey of Martin (David Poynter) to give up his material existence and fulfill his inner quest of turning visions into reality. His journey soon becomes a quicksand of degradation and despair, leading nowhere but down. Martin eschews his career as a small-time Florida-based entrepreneur to follow the precepts of a motivational guru, Dr. Waxling (Charles Carroll). For the most noble of reasons to bring his spiritual leader's message to the world he sets out to seek funding to turn Waxling's philosophical novel into a movie. The main weakness of the work is in the realization of the protagonist (played with tedious, one-note anguish by Poynter). There is no real cause for his inevitable failure, no tragic downspin to his character. he wholeheartedly embraces all the sins: deception, fraud, seduction, theft, murder and bad screenplays. Despite Korder's faulty concept, there are some performances that deserve noting. Felipe J. Riojas is superb as the low-keyed sociopath, Kim, whose warped view of Dr. Waxling's concepts allows him to justify any atrocity, even murder. The one true comedic element to this supposed "dark comedy" is provided by Yeardley Smith as Dr. Waxling's gently cockeyed receptionist. Smith is hilarious when the surprisingly shrewd woman offers to arrange an intro to Dr. Waxling if Martin agrees to read her "slasher" screenplay. Robert Canaan offers a welcome burst of energy as the fast-talking, low-class "goodfellow" who sets up a drug deal for Martin and Kim to further finance the movie deal. The production values give no assistance to the flow of the staging. Nelson Coates' modular set pieces are clumsy. Peter Edwards' lighting is as sophisticated as turning on and off a light bulb; and David Hussey's ever-present sound design is more annoying than helpful. The play world preemed at South Coast Rep in 1990; it was filmed in '95 , directed by David Salle and starring Griffin Dunne.