Lowell House Drama Society is presenting an inhibited version of Look Back in Anger. It sputters like popcorn instead of exploding like a firecracker.

The conflict in John Osborne's play is clear and classic: a revolutionary battles the world. Jimmy Porter rampages against his elders because they don't respect the working class; he challenges the working class because they're apathetic about Edwardian gentlemen; he fights his women. They don't love the loser enough.

But Larry Gage obscurs what should be clear. Gage didn't encourage the rebel to rave and weep and spew out his god-damns. Richard Silberg never wallowed in some old lady's death, never whined about his life. Too much taste was his problem.

The most original aspect of Jimmy Porter's character is his willingness to exploit emotions. He'll do anything say anything, to provoke his wife or his mistress or his pal to a strong response. So he burns people with irons and brags about old mistresses in front of new ones. He plays the trumpet terribly and eternally. All so that someone will react with a hit or a kiss. Silberg missed that recklessness.

Gage took more bit out of the rebellion by miscasting the rest of the actors. Dave LeMire (Colonel Redfern) played a representative aristocrat. He used a pursed-lipped, hoity-toity voice as phoney as his old age lines. The result was that the contest between classes and between generations wasn't credible. Chris Hart (Cliff Lewis) is a dewy-eyed boy instead of a babysitting adult. He made Jimmy Porter sound vaguely professional.

Jimmy Porter's women should be alike and they weren't. Alison and Helena are well-bred, stiff, a little nervous -- they'll have an aura of vestal virginity about them forever. But Emily Sisson (Alison) played a trembly faun while Tracy Goss. (Helena) played a la-de-dah matron. So at the end we concentrated on an antique question: which type woman will Jimmy wind up with? Instead we should be watching Jimmy's final gesture of abandon.