`ALL MY SONS' BOASTS POWERFUL PERFORMANCES : THE FACTS.

Byline: Victoria Giraud People and Places

It starts slowly and comfortably, but before Conejo Players' ``All My Sons,'' is over this powerful play has dramatically made its point: there is a karmic justice in the world. It becomes apparent why Arthur Miller is one of America's greatest playwrights.

As the play opens in the back yard of Middle America, a few years after the end of World War II, we see well-to-do factory owner Joe Keller (a dynamic and profound performance by Joe Belfi), relaxing and chatting with his neighbors - Doc ``Jim'' Bayliss (Robert Sabotka) and his wife, Sue (a biting portrayal by Deb Owen), Frank (Matt McGee) and his wife, Lydia (Jennifer Jennings).

The excellent set (designed by Dayne V. Jervis), lulls us into believing this is a typical family. Joe is likable; he even enjoys teasing the neighborhood kids like Bert (Glenn Martin) into believing he's got a jail in the basement.

Gradually, the background is revealed. The oldest Keller son, a World War II pilot, is missing in action, but his mother, Kate Keller (eloquently played by Susan Michael) refusing to believe he is dead, is convinced that he will eventually return. Chris, the younger son (a finely-etched performance by Graham Gathright), wants to get past his brother's death and get on with his life since he is in love with Annie Deever (sensitively played by Mina Dillard-Gits), his brother's old girlfriend. To accomplish his goals he has invited Annie for a weekend visit, intending to declare his affections.

Beneath the surface of this ``typical'' family lie some dark, disturbing secrets. Annie and her brother George (the intense Jef Kerr) once next-door neighbors, have had to deal with the scandal of their father's imprisonment for selling the Army cracked cylinder heads for aircraft engines, which resulted in the deaths of 21 pilots. Annie's father, who remains in prison, was Joe's partner. Even though Joe also served prison time, most of the blame was heaped on Deever's head.

Chris, the idealistic optimist, has convinced himself that his father is blameless. His goal is to convince his mother that his brother will never return so that it won't seem traitorous that he wants to marry Annie. Kate has her own agenda. If she continues to believe her missing son will return, this belief will remain her magical defense against the truth she does not want to face.

``The truth will out,'' as Shakespeare says, and it surely does come crashing down on all their heads, thanks to George's visit with his father in prison and Annie's last letter from Chris' brother.

For finely-tuned performances, excellent direction by Lucien Coniglio Jervis and a dynamic night of theater, don't miss this production.

WHAT: ``All My Sons'' by Arthur Miller

WHEN: Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. through Feb. 22

WHERE: Conejo Players, 351 S. Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks 

COST: $8 on Thursday, $10 on Friday and $12 on Saturday

INFORMATION: [phone]

CAPTION(S):

Photo

Photo: Graham Gathright as Chris Keller, left, confronts Joe Belfi as Joe Keller in Arthur Miller's ``All My Sons''.