Even without accents, 'Family' comedy is decidedly British

~ The gags should make any fan of that weird art called British humor laugh out loud.

Only one humorous device is preferred over any other by the British -- men dressed up as women, speaking in a shrill voice.

The cross-dressing, the wry humor, the near-endless banter and the slapstick gags that make up the farce "It Runs in the Family" mark the production as decidedly British, even though some of the River City Players' accents stumble awkwardly or simply don't exist.

And even though some of those accents are far from polished, the gags should make any fan of that weird art called British humor laugh out loud.

Here's a great example: "Ahoy in front and avast behind." Think about characters yelling that line through most of the play. That's humor any Monty Python fan would love.

Or a drooling old man who sings "Who's your lady friend ..." show-tune style when anyone says hello. Those random quips and tangential nonsense are the meat and potatoes of Brit comedy, and this farce is almost as full of them as Benny Hill.

"It Runs in the Family" was penned by acclaimed Brit playwright Ray Cooney, a writer and producer/director of dozens of British theatrical comedies.

In "It Runs in the Family," Cooney uses another British humor convention besides cross-dressing -- lies that get characters caught in hectic situations.

The plot of the play revolves around one doctor (Mike Craig's Dr. Mortimore) ready to deliver the most important lecture of his life, when he finds out he has an illegitimate son. The doctor quickly resorts to the first of a string of fabrications to hide the fact, even convincing his friend to act as father of the 19-year-old.

The whole affair starts out lumbering, but quickly picks up pace and maintains a sprint.

This River City Players cast has some newcomers to the Cape Girardeau stage, and sometimes the inexperience shows through. But some players both old and new shine. Bart Elfrink's experience shows through again, making Mortimore's friend Dr. Bonney the best acted and funniest main character on stage.

Also experienced, Kathy Heckman plays a fine uptight upper-middle-class British wife, concerned only with her social station. The rarely seen Sandra Shaw is hilarious as the Cockney Matron, and Kevin Alexander often sounds like a real London tough as punk son Leslie -- decked out in chains and a Sex Pistols shirt, full of piercings and painted with eyeliner.

Sometimes the lack of British accent makes the character even better. Rich Behring's Sir Willoughby Drake drinks and bellows like a Texas oil baron. Far from British, but I love those oil barons wherever they appear.

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182

Want to go?

What: "It Runs in the Family"

When: Tonight, Saturday, 6:30 p.m.; Feb. 16 8 p.m.; Feb. 17 to 18, 6:30 p.m.

Where: River City Yacht Club

Info: 334-0954