Sloth, a world premiere play produced by Gold From Straw a quarter century after its writing, is at its best a compelling commentary on grief, and at its worst a somewhat confused jumble of casting decisions and script weaknesses.

There's this voice that young people use when they play old people. I don't think they can help it. A subconscious attempt to sound wiser or more distinguished, perhaps. You'll know it if you've ever seen a high-school- or university-level play, where the age range of casting options is limited to a student body.

It is somewhat baffling, then, to see the same acting style on a professional-level stage during Gold From Straw's production of Sloth. I've no wish to belittle Adam Utley's skill as an actor. He shows the capacity to handle the emotional ups and downs of Harvey Sloth, no small feat when it must be accomplished almost entirely from a single rocking chair.

But I've seen an awful lot of plays in Tacoma, and I'm quite certain there are more than a few equally able thespians who are a touch closer than 30 years beneath the character's age. Regardless of acting ability, the blatant youth of the actor, as compared to the varied supporting cast, proved thoroughly distracting for the duration of Sloth.

As for the script, I found myself wishing periodically someone had spent a portion of the 25 years since its composition in the editing phase. There is a healthy share of entertaining dialogue and worthwhile content, but it's offset by a number of moments wherein the writer seems to have forgotten events of a previous act, jumbling the facts of the plot to the point of confusion.

Gold From Straw's production is full of interesting technical achievements. A car on stage, getting its tires shot out. Numerous fire effects as an arsonist weaves his way through the story. It's good they've found their way into the Broadway Center's good graces - and good spaces - as I doubt they could have pulled off a similar effort at the Mecca.

As with any production, the good is weighed against the bad, and in this case comes out ahead. But I can't help but feeling like it could have been better still.

Sloth

Through May 14, 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday
2 p.m. Sunday, $23-$26
Theatre on the Square, 915 Broadway, Tacoma
253.591.589