EVERY NOW AND AGAIN, a theater experience takes you totally by surprise. It shines with a rare life and vitality, an electricity you can feel before the show even begins. As it blossoms layer by layer, its momentum grows, and it finally bursts with a theatrical magic you will never quite forget. Northwest Actors Studio's production of Neville's Island is nowhere near such an experience.

But then again, how could it be? We are not talking about the Imperial or the Majestic here, or even the Intiman or ACT. Northwest Actors Studio operates on a shoestring budget, and even has a charity box begging for "your tax deductible donation" in the foyer. Aside from a decided lack of fanfare, this production did have some very powerful pluses in its favor: four very strong, committed young actors, a smart, well-written script, and an appreciative audience. That's all that is really necessary to deliver a good, solid, and enjoyable theater experience -- which Neville's Island definitely did.

The play delves into the psyches of four British, out-of-shape middle managers who are sent on a team-building exercise and get unintentionally marooned on a tiny, uninhabited island. Their intended corporate sponsored bonding ritual suddenly becomes an ultra-Darwinian struggle for survival, as each comes to terms with the truth of their predicament.

I was tempted to give Neville's Island a rave review based solely on the fact that all four actors managed consistently convincing British accents. But there are far more impressive aspects of this play. The cast was almost perfectly balanced in this ensemble piece; each actor gave a well-fleshed, honest performance. The story, far from being the melodramatic mess that one might expect from such a storyline, was ironic and consistently funny. And although Neville's Island isn't one of those rare theater experiences that will change your life forever, it is surprisingly satisfying.