Second Story Theatre and Two Encores — James Brown

The ``Second Story Theatre,'' a surprisingly nondescript novella by the author of Final Performance ( LJ 2/1/88), conjoins three Hollywood-novel staples--the aging, forgotten, and near-destitute silent-film star; the worn-out and drunk former child star, now an aspiring playright; and the successful but bored TV soap actress--in a last-ditch production of a play in a building soon to be leveled and asphalted into a freeway connector. Despite detailed background stories, the characters remain cliches, and the plot is neither interesting nor inventive. This disappointing short novel is followed by two superb short stories, ``The Rat Boy'' and ``The Friend.''-- David Bartholomew, NYPL