National Pastime Theater's premiere production of Michael Sokoloff's "Yuba City" is a perfect example of typical NPT work. Sokoloff has penned a revisionist period Western (something akin to a down-and-dirtier version of Clint Eastwood's "Unforgiven"), a gritty tale of sheriffs, whores and barkeeps in a guttural world shorn of celluloid gloss.
 
The plot revolves around the arrival of a nasty new sheriff (Omms, who also serves as fight choreographer) in a rough multi-ethnic Californian city, the kind of place that's doing just fine as a genial den of iniquity. Invited by an ambitious mayor, the racist new lawmaker proceeds to tyrannize the small populous in the name of progress. Sokoloff (also responsible for National Pastime's previous "Red Dog Moon") is obviously trying to draw parallels between period western gunslingers and contemporary corporate colonizers. It works to a point, but everyone is really far more interested in putting themselves right in the audience's collective face.
 
 But while this consistently intriguing and well-directed show is full of startling stage pictures and some lively, testosterone-charged acting from the likes of Dominic Conti and Arch Harmon, its high style ultimately overwhelms its themes.
 
 With grainy film playing against the wall of a large and well-conceived setting from Dave Denman, and with haunting original music by Milk Baby playing from the balcony, this is a passionate and grandly realized production that's well worth seeing. But its energy and ideas remain raw and unbridled.