"Baal" tells the story of an alienated artist.
Baal, left, is played by Aaron Anderson.
Alexander Ugelow plays his lover, Ekart.
The play contains nudity and is for mature audiences.

Brecht's first complete work observes the drunken existence and pointless fall of the titular character. As directed and designed by Ivana Askovic, "Baal" is a brutal and thought-provoking season opener.

It also contains just about everything the "traditional family values" crowd finds objectionable.

Baal (Aaron Anderson) is seen by perspective patrons and others as a poet of world-class status. He is simultaneously an obnoxious and abusive alcoholic lout. Baal proves fatally irresistible to numerous women; some submit to vicious public humiliation, others commit suicide. All endure sadistic abuse.

Baal appears more tender toward Ekart (Alexander Ugelow), the male lover who becomes his partner in dissipation. Ekart is eventually betrayed as well.

Baal waxes eloquent on the foul worthlessness of the universe; observes, "Every vice is good for something"; and extols the beauty of a woman's pale white body slowly decaying in a river. Anyone in search of a character with no redeeming qualities needs look no further!

Anderson gives a riveting and engrossing interpretation of a relentlessly gross psychopath. His performance keeps a potentially pretentious production from dragging. Give the man a Po'okela Award!

Melodie Lee Sanders stands out in two key roles. She embodies masochistic stoicism as a rich married woman bewitched by Baal early on, and acquits herself well in an acrobatic and moderately explicit rough-sex scene. She returns as Maja, an alcoholic derelict, whose encounter with Baal fuels much of what passes for comic relief. Blake T. Kushi, Carlos Thelin and Jonathan Sypert add to the darkly comic mayhem.

Sanders remains clothed. Taurie Kinoshita goes further in visually portraying the seduction and debauchment of another victim. So does Anderson. Their nudity is not as essential as in UH-Manoa's excellent 1992 production of "The Legend of Prince Lanling" or Diamond Head Theatre's equally impressive 1991 staging of "M. Butterfly," but provides visual parallels to the jumbled and enigmatic dialogue.

The best theater both entertains and educates by challenging the viewer's values and reactions to what transpires on stage. "Baal" succeeds admirably in doing that.

What: Bertolt Brecht's existential parable follows an artist in a materialistic society
When: 8 p.m. today, tomorrow and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday
Where: Ernst Lab Theatre, at University of Hawaii at Manoa Kennedy Theatre
Admission: $7
Call: 956-7655