Theater

‘As I Lay Dying’: The lies that hold a dirt-poor Southern family together unravel in the wake of a mother’s death in this take on William Faulkner’s novel. The literary qualities that distinguish Faulkner’s works make them difficult to translate into drama. All the more reason to applaud Open Fist Theatre Company’s haunting, superbly performed adaptation.

Edward Kemp’s meticulously crafted script illuminates the complex characters and narrative spine of Faulkner’s novel without compromising the eloquence of its varied lyric voices.

-- Philip Brandes

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Ends Saturday. Open Fist Theatre Company, 1625 N. La Brea Ave., Hollywood. Friday-Saturday, 8 p.m. (323) 882-6912.