THEATER REVIEW:French have a word for it at UCI

They may have given us “Les Miserables,” Brigitte Bardot and the Statue of Liberty, but what have the French done for us lately?

Well, American playwright Charles L. Mee has crossed the pond and brought back “Fetes de la Nuit,” his tribute to the land of the Seine and the Eiffel Tower. It’s being staged in a premiere of sorts at UC Irvine.

What is “Fetes de la Nuit”? If you’re old enough, think of “Laugh-In” without most of the laughs. The show, directed and choreographed by Annie Loui, is an evening of some 46 vignettes on the French experience, some of which are quite entertaining, but most of which are just there.

“Fetes” features a dozen cast members, all assigned character names in the program, who perform anonymously until two or three are quickly identified toward the end of the show. This makes it virtually impossible to assign individual credit or blame.

There are, however, a number of highlights in the UCI production, the most significant being a solo rendition of “La Vie en Rose” by one of the unidentified actresses. A recurring story of two lesbian lovers (again unnamed) also has some bite as they quibble about who left whom and why.

Gratuitous smoking abounds, as if to quench any fervor American audiences might have for the French. One character’s mission appears to either be to bore or gross out the others until they leave the stage, which he does on several occasions.

The few recurrent vignettes fan a flame of interest, but most of the show elicits simple, to use the French term, ennnui — such as the two actresses who sing a chorus of “meows.” Another actor presents an extended tribute to flatulence — climaxing his act by breaking wind to the melody of the French national anthem.

The bizarre fashion show which ends the first act pretty much symbolizes the experience.

It’s different, even quirky, but is it art? That’s for the audience to determine.

IF YOU GO“Fetes de la Nuit”

WHAT:

WHERE: UC Irvine Winifred Smith Hall

WHEN: Closing performances at 8 tonight and at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday

COST: $9 to $17

INFO: (949) 824 2787 or drama.arts.uci.edu/onStage.html

reviews local theater for the Daily Pilot. His reviews appear Fridays.