Presented by the Manhattan Theatre Club, at City Center Stage I, 131 W. 55th St., Oct. 31-Dec. 12

This is one time that a new play absolutely lives up to its advance notices! British playwright Shelagh Stephenson's "An Experiment With an Air Pump" at the Manhattan Theatre Club is a literate, intelligent piece which deals with science, morality, and a good deal more. Should one tinker with genetic engineering, utilize the cell tissue of aborted fetuses, dig up corpses for study? How far can science go? And is there a place for heart and humanism in science?

Although Stephenson takes on such heavy themes, her play is nonetheless alive with vibrant characters and ...