THEATER REVIEW / ‘STOP THE WORLD--I WANT TO GET OFF’ : In Newley’s Spirit : The ‘60s musical’s songs have retained their luster, and the Conejo Players render appealing performances.

British performer Anthony Newley likes to think of himself as something of a symbiotic fusion of Charlie Chaplin, Marcel Marceau, Frank Sinatra and Al Jolson. So why not add Irving Berlin to the stew, and create his own starring property for the London stage?

“Stop the World--I Want to Get Off” was an enormous success in London and was imported to Broadway by producer David Merrick in 1962. Here, too, it did quite well, producing the now-standard songs “Once in a Lifetime,” “Gonna Build a Mountain” and “What Kind of Fool Am I?”

The show, if not Newley, can be seen the next three Sunday afternoons at the Conejo Players Theater in Thousand Oaks. Gary R. Romm directs a cast headed by Thyra Gustafson and one of Ventura County’s most reliable performers, Mark Reyes.

Written by Newley and Leslie Bricusse, the musical follows the life of a Cockney Everyman, Littlechap, in his rise from the lowly position of teaboy--the fellow who brings tea to everybody else in the office. It’s sort of like “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” except that Littlechap’s device isn’t guile, but the time-honored method of marrying the boss’s daughter.

Littlechap loves Evie, sort of, but he’s a rounder, unable to curb his desire to chase girls. Evie sticks by him, nevertheless.

The libretto is thoroughly mired in early-’60s attitudes, a shortcoming that is underlined here by the insertion of a number of gratuitous contemporary references. “When Harry Met Sally,” Rodney King, Ross Perot and (quite amusingly) “The Phantom of the Opera” are mentioned. Up to the minute, the script has been rewritten to reflect the recent fall of the Soviet Union.

The Newley-Bricusse script is jampacked with showy devices. There is the circus-like setting (with Littlechap in mime whiteface much of the time). And they have Gustafson playing not just Evie, but stereotyped Russian, German and American women with whom Littlechap comes into contact.

Some of it works, some of it doesn’t. Reyes does a toned-down Newley impersonation to good effect--he’s almost sympathetic. Gustafson does well with the parts that won Anna Quayle her Best Supporting Actress Tony, and the young ladies of the chorus acquit themselves nicely. Non-twins Summer Baltzer and Jeannine Marquie play the parts originated by Jennifer and Susan Baker. Everybody affects English accents.

What’s best about “Stop the World,” though, is the songs. In addition to those mentioned above, the show includes the catchy “Lumbered” and “Mumbo Jumbo,” the romantic “Someone Nice Like You,” and a series of amusing (if outdated) specialty numbers for Gustafson’s characters.

The three-piece band is under the direction of Cheryl Howard. They’re fine, but could play a bit louder during the overture and some of the songs.

* WHERE AND WHEN

“Stop the World--I Want to Get Off” runs Sunday nights at 2:30 through July 19 at the Conejo Players Theater, 351 S. Moorpark St. in Thousand Oaks. All seats are $5, on a first-come, first-served basis only. Arrive early; these shows tend to sell out. For further information, call 495-3715.