As its title suggest, “Burn This” is an incendiary play with passion and emotion at its core, which ignites after Pale (Adam Rothenberg) comes to the apartment his late brother Robbie shared with dancer-choreographer Anna and the openly gay Larry (Brooks Ashmanskas). Although Anna has a warm relationship with a rich, scriptwriting boyfriend, Burton (Ken Barnett), she lets herself be seduced by the wildly erratic and unpredictable Pale, perhaps responding to that primal fire she unknowingly aspires to in her own creative work. Burton would seem like the sure bet for a committed relationship, but the heady lure of danger and uncertainty pulls her in.
Written by Lanford Wilson, who died just days before opening night, “Burn This” was first staged at the Mark Taper Forum in 1987. This incarnation begs some credibility, though, with Pale seeming deranged and Anna foolish for succumbing so easily to his crude advances. Ashmanskas is a chip off of Nathan Lane in “The Producers,” fun to watch, although his bon vivant attitude provides an odd sort of king’s jester comic relief to the rising tempers that flare up throughout the play. Smart dialogue as well, but often difficult to catch every word, especially from Rothenberg.
Burn This plays through May 1 at the Mark Taper Forum at the Music Center in downtown Los Angeles. Performances daily except for Monday. Tickets, $20 to $65. Call (213) 972-7231 or go to CenterTheatreGroup.org. ER
