‘Kabbalah’ Tales Set Their Sights on the Supernatural

Although the thought of seeing something other than the usual Christmas fare is enticing, the Blue Sphere Alliance production of “Kabbalah: Scary Jewish Stories” at the Lex Theatre has little else to recommend it.

As scripted by Howard Schwartz, who originally published the material as part of his “Lilith’s Cave,” these six tales are morality plays that have a tendency toward third-person recitations.

Director Stuart Gordon doesn’t make them frightening or visually interesting, and the presence of Avery Schreiber--who appears variously as a king, a merchant and wise rabbi--doesn’t help.

In “Helen of Troy,” a wizard (Brendan Broms) uses magic to force himself upon a virtuous queen (Julie Dreyfus). He then decides he wants Helen of Troy, with disastrous results.

Good magic is used by Israel (David Sean Robinson) to vanquish a werewolf (Jonathan Coogan), who has been terrorizing schoolchildren.

In “The Demon of the Water,” a bitter feud calls up the demon of the waters (Georja Umano). A man (Steve Heller) must fight off a corpse (Devin Price) who claims him as her husband in “The Finger.”

In another case of threatened virtue, “The Sorcerer and the Virgin,” a woman (Price) and her family come under the spell of a sorcerer (Heller).

And a lad (Robinson) listens to the advice of a decapitated head (Broms) to escape a demon in “The Head.”

Even if you like folk tales laced with supernatural happenings, this bill might make a better read than a performance.

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BE THERE

“Kabbalah: Scary Jewish Stories,” Lex Theatre, 6760 Lexington Ave., Hollywood. Tonight, Wednesday, Dec. 30, Jan. 7, 8, 14, 15, 8 p.m. $15. (323) 957-5782. Running time: 2 hours.