TRAIN OF THOUGHT, American Blues Theatre. Company member Andrew Micheli’s first produced play contains many dramatic problems common to playwrights’ first attempts. His longish one-act, set on a train platform, not only lacks dramatic crescendo and climax but, more important, is overwhelmed by the playwright’s self-conscious attempts at intellectuality. When two strangers meet on a platform that overlooks a raging fire from a recent explosion, they begin a verbal joust in which each tries to throw responsibility onto the other. But somehow the dialogue never feels authentic; even if Micheli’s aim was to heighten the language, it needs to ring true at least to the world of the play. Train of Thought seems to be looking for a voice, at times trying to imitate Beckett’s sparseness. But by trying too hard to be deep, Micheli comes across as rather heartless and shallow.
