THEATER REVIEW : A Witty Family Drama : In ‘The Man Most Likely to . . .,’ British drawing-room comedy meets French bedroom farce.

A big hit in London, Joyce Rayburn’s 1968 “The Man Most Likely to . . . “ has never quite caught on in the States. As the first offering of Ventura County’s new Etc.,Etc.,Etc. company, the show’s recommended to all who would enjoy a witty cross between a British drawing-room comedy and a French bedroom farce.

The coyly named group (Elite Theatre Company, England to California, Entertaining the Community) was formed by American Judy Heiliger and expatriate Briton Kay Digby, who have appropriated the Ventura Knights of Columbus Hall (posted capacity for bingo 250) for the occasion. A capacious room with a big proscenium stage at one end, the hall is surprisingly conducive to theater, though it’s suggested that patrons sit as close to the action as possible--the room does tend to eat up dialogue.

And dialogue, arch and crackling, is what the play’s about; there’s precious little action and even less plot.

Businessman Victor Cadwallader and his wife, Joan, are weekending at a Berkshire cottage when several guests turn up: first Joan’s former fiance, Martin; then the Cadwalladers’ estranged son, Giles, with his girlfriend, Shirley Hughes. High jinks ensue as prissy Martin half-jokingly continues to pursue Joan, and as Giles and Shirley make it clear that they expect to sleep together, much to Joan’s distress. And does free-spirited Shirley have her eye on Victor, who’s old enough to be her father?

All of this takes on a somewhat unsavory flavor when, upon reading the program notes, we discover that Helena Digby, who plays Shirley, is indeed the daughter of Paul Digby, who plays Victor, and director Kay Digby.

Best to ignore the real-life relationships and simply enjoy the mix of genuine and put-on British accents, and fine performances. In addition to Heiliger and the Digbys, who are fine, Glen Jacob-Heppner plays Martin as the prototypal British twit, and Scott L. Johnson is fine as Giles. Both Jacob-Heppner and Johnson are American.

After a couple of minutes’ difficult start as members of the audience become accustomed to the accents and try to figure out the relationship between Martin and Joan, the play moves quickly and effortlessly under Kay Digby’s direction. The whole thing runs for just over 90 minutes, including an intermission--or, as the Anglophile company calls it, “interval.” While there’s no Orange Squash for refreshment, the Knights of Columbus do furnish a full bar.

* WHERE AND WHEN

“The Man Most Likely to . . . “ plays one more night only, this Saturday at 8 p.m. The Knights of Columbus Hall is officially located at 36 S. Figueroa St. in Ventura; use the first parking lot west of South Palm Street on Santa Clara, and enter from the lot. Tickets are $8.50. For further information, call 525-6219 or 650-8052.

CASTING CALL / AUDITIONS

If the shoe fits . . . : Camarillo Community Theatre continues to hold auditions for its upcoming production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” at the Camarillo Community Center, 1605 Burnley St. in Camarillo. This revival will play at the Camarillo Airport Theater weekends between Aug. 13 and Sept. 11.

Auditions will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. Prepare a show tune; an accompanist will be provided. For further information or an audition appointment, call director Kevin Parcher at 482-5049 or Pat Carroll at 388-2773.