Time, Et. Al.: (Connelly Theatre)

BOTTOM LINE: dark, smart, witty.

It's probably not the best date play, but if you're into bending your mind and heart around some stuff, this will give you food for thought.

Time, Et. Al.: (by Gil Varod and Jennifer Lynn Jordan, directed by Shannon Fillion) bills itself as a cautionary tale of love and time travel. The idea behind the show is really interesting (to sci-fi dorks, like myself). Two people, Clara (Lucy Owen) from 1925, and William (Stuart Luth) from present day, communicate through means of a magic diary (like you do) and fall in love, eventually finding each other in a dreamland meant only for them. The play has an interesting and poignant premise - knowing you're supposed to be with someone, but not knowing how - but, what's cool about this show is how it plays against itself. It's a love story, yes, but it isn't Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks playing email tag. And it's sci-fi, but with so much self-referencing humor and tongue-in-cheek leaps of faith, you'll love every comic-con-type reference whether you get them or not.

On the night I saw it, there were a few technical mishaps which sort of took me out of the experience, but the interplay between the characters, including Jedediah Baker as William's modern day sci-fi loving brother, was always a pleasure to watch, particularly in act two, when we find out what happens after Happily Ever After.

Time Et Al is playing at the Connelly Theater, 220 East 4th Street between Aves A and B. Show times: Thursday, August 14th at 4:15pm; Saturday, August 16th at noon; Tuesday, August 19th at 9:45pm; Saturday, August 23rd at 9:45pm.

Visit http://www.timeetall.com/ for more info.