SOUNDS INTERESTING, BUT AUDIENCE IS LEFT IN DARK.

Byline: Julio Martinez Correspondent

WHEN SECOND CITY vet Del Close took over the direction of San Francisco's satirical ensemble the Committee back in 1967, he began working with youthful Committee workshop students in a series of improvisation sessions that eventually led to a lengthy group performance piece called the Harrold. Using sounds, movements, characterizations, transformations and other improv techniques, the Committee Workshop would command the stage for 45 minutes to an hour, investigating all aspects of a given theme.

``ZHX Soundscape,'' a production of the recently formed NoHo-based Hothouse Spontaneous Theater Conservatory, has chosen to utilize only sound in its 45-minute performance piece. Though the 11 black-clad ensemble members produce an impressive array of aural stimulations, they fail to develop their sounds into meaningful or sustaining themes.

The ``ZHX Soundscape'' performers enter the small HotHouse performance area and immediately begin reacting to each other's physical presence, both in movement and in sound. At one point, the ensemble divides into two teams. They both appear to be pushing a large, imaginary object back and forth, accompanied by an assortment of grunts, moans and whistles. The members flow from this activity to another, meandering in and out of the action, providing whatever sounds or movements needed to support the prevailing theme. It is a promising beginning.

Then the stage lights dim to utter blackness and the audience is deprived of any stimulation but its sense of hearing. Unfortunately, the ensemble is not up to the task of sustaining interest with sounds alone. Invariably a vocalization would begin that would be supported, then amplified and eventually just die away. This would be followed by another theme that would suffer the same fate. The ability to emulate the sounds of dropping bombs, galloping horses or the birthing of a child is only fleetingly impressive. What is missing is the thematic evolution necessary to take the work to a higher level of theatrical reality.

Director Rob Adler has taken a courageous first step with this talented group that includes Larry Bates, Daniel Erickson, Danielle Harris, Brian Kimmet, Rachel Kleinman, Kathleen McWilliams, Tom McWilliams, Warner Munroe, Sam Narvell, Chris Schultz and Donna Jo Thorndale. The ensemble might find greater thematic fodder for their sounds if they would just leave the lights on.

ZHX SOUNDSCAPE - Two stars

Where: The Hothouse, 4934 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood.

When: 8 p.m. Saturdays; through Sept. 6.

Tickets: $10. Call [phone].

In a nutshell: The wordless improvised sounds of this hard-working ensemble are intriguing but suffer from lack of variation.