William Saroyan's Time of Your Life shocked many with its unstructured style when it debuted in the fall of 1939. The play still comes as a surprise today even though its hard realism may seem time when compared to more recent plays. Saroyan shows us a depressing series of life slices all in the setting of a West Coast bar. Throughout the play he has us jump from pinball players to phone callers to despondent bar stoolies. Miraculously he brings all of them together at the play's conclusion.

At the Loeb Wednesday through Saturday and then Monday through Saturday at 5 p.m., except Saturdays at 6 and 9. Tickets are $5-50 and $6-50, but Harvard-affiliated people get St off, and student rush tickets are available half on hour before showtime for $3.75. Jim Crimson

For some reason, Shakespeare's plays seem to get an Inordinate amount of outdoor productions. At the moment there are two such offerings in the Boston area. Measure for Measure, a comedy to which original music has been added (making it yet another addition to the growing body of Shakespearean musical comedies), is being performed under the stars at the Publick Theater, 1175 Soldier's Field Rd., along the Charles Wednesday through Saturday at 8 p.m., admission is $1.

The Tempest, which many consider to be one of Shakespeare's all-time greats, is getting its al fresco production by the Open Door Theater, opening tomorrow at 7:30 at the "Kettle Bowl" at the Arts Center in the Park at Pinebank on the Jamaicaway. Tickets are $3. Call 776-9378 for more Information. Blankets and/or cushions are recommended for both productions.

The Point, a new musical fantasy by Harry Nilsson, might be worth a trip to Providence, where it is being performed by the Boston Repertory Theater (which summers in Providence, apparently) at the Lederer Theatre. Opens tonight at 8 and continues Tuesday through Saturday through Aug. 30. Call 351-4242 in Providence or 423-6580 in Boston.

Scenes From American Life, a comedy about upper-class life in Buffalo, has been getting rave reviews. It's continuing in repertory with Ah, Wilderness at the BU Summer Repertory Theatre. Ticket prices are steep--$4 to $7.50--but there is such a thing as a "student pass." Call 353-3392.   --Natalle Wexler