`RENT' HYPE BUILDS SHOW BEYOND MEANS.

Byline: Reed Johnson Daily News Staff Writer

Jonathan Larson's hope and humanity were never oversold.

If only the same could be said of his musical ``Rent,'' the modest, sweet-natured show that's now being pumped up to arena-rock decibels at the Ahmanson Theatre.

``Rent'' chugs into Los Angeles powered by a full-throttle p.r. machine and some impressive accolades, including the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Now that it's finally here, no musical lover who's been spinning the soundtrack for nine months may feel he or she can afford to miss the spectacle. Just don't be surprised if the musical you've conjured in ``the 3D IMAX of your mind'' plays better than the reality that costs $70 for a prime orchestra seat.

Physically, this production is a virtual clone of the Broadway version: the same metallic set design (graced by a monstrous assemblage of shopping carts, hubcaps and other post-industrial flotsam); the same funky Downtown Manhattan attitude; and the same dramatic chiaroscuro lighting, piercing the gloom that enfolds Larson's defiant community of street people, starving artists, junkies and drag queens. Even the vocal inflections of the youthful 17-member cast could've been dubbed from the original soundtrack.

At its best, ``Rent'' evokes the carefully choreographed intimacy and immediacy of MTV's ``Real World'' series. Raw and appealingly vulnerable, the cast partly makes up in ardor and sincerity what it lacks in technical polish. The only performers who look truly at home on stage are Neil Patrick Harris as Mark, the laconic filmmaker and Larson stand-in; Christian Mena as Mark's tortured, HIV-positive roommate Roger, trapped between life force and death wish; D'Monroe, a smooth, caustic presence as the yuppie landlord Benny; and Kenna Ramsey as Joanne, the Ivy League lover of Mark's ex-girlfriend Maureen (Leigh Hetherington).

As a composer and lyricist, Larson demonstrates greater talent for catchy pop riffing than for melody and characterization. Too many songs end only a couple of steps from where they began. The five-member band rocks steady through an eclectic score of gospel, r&b, rap and, in one inspired number, a mocking tango tribute by Mark and Joanne to the sexually omnivorous Maureen.

Director Michael Greif, who has nurtured ``Rent'' from its original, low-budget incarnation at a 150-seat East Village theater, does his best to pack the stage with visual heat and old-time Broadway showmanship. Larson's warmth manages to shine through here and there, but it's frequently swamped by the overblown staging.

Because of Jonathan Larson's tragic death at age 35, on the eve of his show's final dress rehearsal, it may be years before ``Rent'' gets the calm, impartial hearing it deserves. For now, however, there is no calm, only roars of delight from the young ticket-holders in the Ahmanson balcony. With so little else on Broadway to tempt them, who would dare second-guess their enthusiasm?

THE FACTS

What: ``Rent.''

Where: Through Jan. 18 at the Ahmanson Theatre, Music Center of Los Angeles County, 135 N. Grand Ave.

When: 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday; selected additional performances.

Tickets: $20 to $70. Call [phone].

Our rating: Two Stars.

CAPTION(S):

Photo

Photo: Young urbanites Julia Santana and Christian Mena share their joys and struggles in ``Rent.''