Mark Harelik and Matt Letscher, "In a Garden." Photo: Henry DiRocco.

Now in progress on the Agryos Stage at South Coast Rep: an international game of cat and mouse amid a clash of cultures and political ideologies. No, it’s not “A Walk in the Woods,” though you may be reminded of Lee Blessing’s play, as I was. Howard Korder’s “In the Garden” is a whole new ballgame—it’s a world premiere—and the final outing is March 28; no extra innings.

The butting of heads between a frustrated US architect (Matt Letscher) and the culture minister of a mythical country in the Middle East (Mark Harelik) at first seems like “Two Characters in Search of a Plot.” Though it’s essentially a character study, and an exceedingly clever one at that, Korder has far more up his sleeve than meets the eye and he’s cagey about what cards he shows and when.

“Korder refuses to give you too much; he fights against over-informing his audience. He thinks about the information he dispenses very carefully,” Letscher commented during a talkback the other night. “I bow to Howard—he has a singular voice,” says Harelik. “The script has a particular rhythm and music to it.” Letscher and especially Harelik complement Korder’s carefully crafted drama with beautifully nuanced performances under David Warren’s fine direction; both actors are playwrights themselves. Call 714-708-5555.

It’s not much of a stretch to depict the American Dream in the toilet these days, but few writers have ever explored the territory with the piercing insight or surreal savoir-faire of Sam Shepard. The much-imitated but seldom-equaled playwright, an underwhelming presence on So Cal stages of late, is currently represented in OC by a solid revival of “Buried Child” at Hunger Artists, through April 11; the Pulitzer Prize-winning play, which premiered in 1978, debuted locally at South Coast Rep.

There’s a lot of weird goings-on in this drama about a Midwest farm family with a secret to hide, but director Katie Chidester and her cast are happily up to the challenge. Ken Dalena (as the family patriarch) and Anthony Galleran (his addled son) help establish the Shepard feel with fine naturalistic acting; Robert Tully is appropriately creepy as the troublemaker son and Kelly Sue Eder fetching and feisty as an inquisitive outsider who stirs up the mix. Call 714-680-6803.

More from Jordan:

OC Theatre 101: Change and growth at STAGEStheatre, South Coast Rep
OC stages tweak the classics -- Ibsen, Chekhov, Twain
Flying solo: Ed Asner as FDR, Herbert Siguenza as Picasso

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