Sam Shepard's vast canvas of the disintegrating American landscape, both physical and spiritual, continues in a rather fragmented way in his new drama, Seduced …, which deals on the surface with the last day on earth of a mysterious billionaire tycoon made in the image of the late Howard Hughes.

As usual, the prolific Shepard chooses to use both comedy and allegory, as well as deep-rooted symbolism, to make his philosophical points. Most of the audience are willing to take this drama on its surface level, a vision of Howard Hughes, in him germproof self-imprisonmment, entertaining a few of his favourite doxies from the past and musing about his days of strength and glory. Shepard, of course, is striving for a great deal more dimension in this play in which he uses his Hughes-like character … as a symbol for a demon monster America created almost in the inner image...