EAST WEST PLAYERS FUMBLE `FOLLIES'.

Byline: Julio Martinez Correspondent

East West Players, the longest established Pacific Islander American theater company in the United States, has enjoyed great success with the works of Stephen Sondheim in the past, including critically acclaimed productions of ``Pacific Overtures,'' ``Company,'' ``Into the Woods'' and ``Sweeney Todd.'' ``Follies'' is not one of its better efforts.

Sondheim's ode to the Broadway showgirl possesses one of his more radiant scores undermined by James Goldman's woefully lackluster book. Since the production gets no boost from the plot, all focus is riveted on Sondheim's collection of complex musical gems. Unfortunately, the esteemed composer is further done in by an East West Players ensemble that rarely rises above the level of community theater performance. And Tim Dang's turgid, often clumsy staging is no help at all. Fortunately, music director Scott Nagatani and an outstanding four-member instrumental ensemble keep some semblance of professionalism going throughout the production.

Set in 1971, ``Follies'' chronicles a reunion of former showgirls 30 years after the closure of their theater, which is now scheduled for demolition. Two of these now middle-aged chorines, Sally (Linda Dangcil) and Phyllis (Freda Foh Shen), are haunted by memories of their nubile youthful lives when they were roommates being courted and bedded by the virile lads who eventually married them. Now older and sadder, Sally's Buddy (Robert Almodovar) and Phyllis' Ben (Sab Shimono) are also chasing a few ghosts from the past.

Aside from the ongoing angst that is constantly being expressed by this self-serving quartet, every other scene is merely an opportunity to get up there and perform for the folks.

The most satisfying portrayal is turned in by Dangcil, whose stage credits range from Mary Martin's ``Peter Pan'' in the '50s to the West Coast Premiere of ``A Chorus Line'' in the '70s. She is a consummate musical theater pro whose emotion-laden voice immediately gets to the heart of such dramatically rich Sondheim tunes as ``Don't Look at Me,'' ``In Buddy's Eyes,'' and the now classic ``Losing My Mind.''

The near breathtakingly beautiful Foh Shen exudes the proper soulless sophistication of a woman who has suffered through 30 years of an upscale, bloodless marriage but her limited emotional range severely hampers the effectiveness of the landmark anthem to conjugal unhappiness, ``Could I Leave You,'' or the deceptively lighthearted song-and-dance ditty, ``The Story of Lucy and Jessie.''

On the male side of this dysfunctional quartet, Shimono's limited, atonal vocal capabilities do not begin to handle the performance responsibilities of such tortured Sondheim ballads as ``The Road You Didn't Take,'' ``Too Many Mornings'' and ``Live, Laugh, Love.'' Almodovar's Buddy effectively conveys the longing of ``The Right Girl,'' but does not possess the technical virtuosity to capture the irony of the comedically rich patter tune, ``The-God-Why-Don't-You-Love-Me-Blues.''

The rest of the ``Follies'' ladies have their turn at the spotlight, but with decidedly mixed results. Well-known comedic actress Amy Hill (Grandma in ABC's ``All American Girl'') blasts through the supposedly poignant ``Broadway Baby'' with little concern for emotional dynamics or pitch. Yukari Asamoto-Black's novelty tune outing on ``Ah, Paris'' sinks under the weight of her hyper-affectation. On the plus side, Emily Kurada truly communicates the hard-edged facade of show-biz survivor Carlotta Campion in her commanding rendition of ``I'm Still Here.''

As the contrasting callow shadows of these hardened denizens of life, Al Goeku as Young Phyllis and Paul Martinez as Young Ben adequately display the unrealistic enthusiasm of youth in the bubbly, ``You're Gonna Love Tomorrow.'' Similarly, Ben V. Gonio's Young Buddy and Yumi Iwama's Young Sally effectively convey the hopeful yearning of ``Love Will See Us Through.''

Bradley Kaye's set design truly evokes the aura of the back stage of an aged, decaying theater palace but barely leaves room for the ensemble to perform. On the other hand, Frank McKown's lighting perfectly sets off the on-stage ramblings of these ``Follies'' ladies, young and old.

The facts

--The Show: ``Follies.''

--Where: East West Players, 120 N. Judge John Aiso St., Los Angeles.

--When: 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, 2 p.m. matinee Saturday and Sunday; through June 25.

--Tickets: $30 to $35.

--Our rating: One and one half stars

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Photo:

Linda Dangcil, Freda Foh Shen, Robert Almodovar and Sab Shimono star in the East West Players production of the Stephen Sondheim musical ``Follies.''