Life (X) 3 starts as a light domestic comedy, long on a crying child for the first 30 minutes and short on brilliance as a couple comes to the home of another for dinner a day early. This leads to much domestic bickering and an occasional funny line. Then the same night is played again, with a different slant, and it becomes more interesting, and then, once again, a third time, with other mood, character and plot implications. This includes some French inter-couple flirtatious moofky-foofky, with pretentious scientific horseshit thrown in.
The splendid cast (Helen Hunt, John Turturro, Brent Spiner and Linda Edmond) spin the nonsense into vibrancy, so Life (X) 3 is ultimately quite an enjoyable evening of theater, with a dash of experimentation and a touch of intellect. Designer Mark Thompson utilizes the round stage of Circle-in-the-Square with great understanding of the space; lighting by Hugh Vanstone augments well. Director Matthew Warchus, by allowing the irrepressible Turturro to fly where his impulses take him -- yea unto dancing -- certainly makes the play as theatrical as possible.
