Pine, Noth Photo by Michael Lamont

Farragut North is the call-name of a metro-station stop along the Red Line in Washington D.C. It is where lobbyists tend to gather their offices. Farragut North is also the title of Beau Willimon's riveting 2008 political power-play play - now making its So Cal debut at Westwood's Geffen Playhouse, through July 26. The backdrop of Farragut is the presidential primary season. The setting is Iowa, in the lead-up to that state's caucuses.

The plot is straightforward but nonetheless intriguing, thanks to its unnerving credibility. After all, writer Willimon is a veteran of big-time political campaigns, including Howard Dean's 2004 presidential bid. Moreover, Farragut North is said to be inspired by Willimon's experience as a Dean Campaign operative.

Stephen Bellamy (the striking Chris Pine, who's currently headlining as Captain James Kirk in the latest Star Trek film) is a savvy 25 year-old press-secretary to a U.S. presidential candidate. In his ten-year political career, Stephen has gained enough prestige to be the envy of campaign agents many years his senior. But Stephen's wunderkind career is about to encounter a challenge that may prove insurmountable.

Paul Zara (a palpable Chris Noth, from Law and Order and Sex and the City) is the campaign's manager. Paul recognizes talent, values loyalty, but performs pragmatically. When Stephen is approached by Tom Duffy (fully embodied by Isiah Whitlock, Jr.), the strategist from a rival campaign, Stephen's Achilles heel becomes exposed; he is made vulnerable in this moment in a manner that is unexpected and unpredictable, but somehow seems obvious after the fact. Moreover, when word reaches Paul (the walls may have ears here) that Stephen's surreptitious meeting with the opposition has taken place, he's furious and steadfast on one point: Prodigy or not, Stephen can no longer be trusted.

To complicate matters further, Stephen has a one-time fling with Molly (cast-against-type, Olivia Thirby is a revelation in this role), a teen intern on the Iowa campaign trail. Molly, we learn, is more involved with campaigns and campaigners more than Stephen knows or we in the audience expect.

By adding a tenacious reporter to the mise en scene, Willimon rounds out his drama, enabling the action to gain momentum and raising-the-stakes every time her name, Ida Horowicz (an ebullient Mia Barron), is mentioned. After all, it is she who has the potential to shine-the-light of truth and disclosure onto the dark dealings taking place within the shaded corridors of this oh so American sort of politicking.

Inventively directed by Doug Hughes, with Joshua White and Ben Stupak's invaluable video collages creating an apparent media frenzy around the proceedings, and David Korins's mutable, chessboard-like, set-design serving as a metaphoric motif, Farragut North is an a-okay political thriller. Even more impressively, though, "Farragut" is a rich character study, lending canny insight into political minds and machinations.

Farragut North continues through July 26. Show times are Tuesday - Thursday at 7:30 p.m.; Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 4 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. The Geffen Playhouse is located at 10886 Le Conte Avenue, Westwood. For reservations, call (310) 208-5454. For more information, visit www.GeffenPlayhouse.com