STAGE REVIEW : ‘Love, Sex and the I.R.S.’ Makes for an Extremely Taxing Evening

The word is that the Costa Mesa Civic Playhouse received complaints after its staging of “Cat’s Paw” in November. Some patrons apparently felt the drama was too provocative or not entertaining enough, which is unfortunate--”Cat’s Paw” has flaws, but at last this look at the problematic relationship between terrorism and the media contains ideas.

There aren’t any in the playhouse’s current production, “Love, Sex and the I.R.S.” William Van Zandt and Jan Milmore’s comedy is harmless--a piece of piffle, theatrical lint. No real problem with aiming for laughs (Costa Mesa’s ticket-holders deserve some fun), but this tired farce just isn’t that jolly.

In it, we meet several excitable people, the most important being roommates Leslie (Peter Evans) and Jon (Steve Sturm) and Jon’s girlfriend Kate (Maria Hall-Brown). Jon and Kate are supposed to be married, but Kate and Leslie have this thing going, mostly on the couch when Jon’s away. Uh-oh, they’d better tell Jon before things get nasty. But Jon has this really bad temper . . .

Kate and Leslie are working up the courage when Jon introduces the play’s main thrust, his tax problems. Jon is something of a hustler, and he’s deceived the Internal Revenue Service into believing that he’s married. But the jig is up because an auditor is coming over to meet the happy couple. What to do?

Logic be damned. Instead of having Kate play the wife, they decide Leslie dressed in drag would be more convincing. And there you have the primary gag of “Love, Sex and the I.R.S.”--a rouged-up, high-heeled Leslie flouncing through one escapade after another.

The tax man, a starchy guy who drinks too much, comes over, then Jon’s mother, a tough-minded woman who drinks too much, comes over, then Leslie’s other girlfriend, Connie, a dizzy blonde who is drunk, naturally, comes over.

The inspiration here comes from several directions, from “Charley’s Aunt” to “Some Like It Hot,” but the wit that marked those efforts is missing. Evans, with his sound comic timing, does generate a few smiles through his hulking about in a skin-tight cocktail dress, but the comedy’s limitations are too much to overcome.

Director Corbett Barklie’s cast has the same problem. Everyone is rather lively, but “Love, Sex and the I.R.S.,” despite all the animation, is generally lifeless.

‘LOVE, SEX AND THE I.R.S.’

A Costa Mesa Civic Playhouse production of William Van Zandt and Jane Milmore’s comedy. Directed by Corbett Barklie. With Maria Hall-Brown, Peter Evans, Rich Torasso, Steve Sturm, Mark John McSheehy, Ruth Cameron, Debora Babos and Robert Lupo. Set by Eugene McDonald. Lighting by Jeff Ault. Sound by Jim Bell. Plays Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. through Feb. 11 at 661 Hamilton St., Costa Mesa. Tickets: $8 and $9. (714) 650-5269.