Theater Review / Jan Herman : Mixed ‘REP’ Acts Like Backstage Comedy <i> Sans </i> Punch Line

When a theater troupe becomes a legend in its own time, chances are it’s already on the way out. Fortunately, that does not seem to be the case with South Coast Repertory, the ostensible subject of Greg Atkins’ new comedy a clef called “REP.”

What Orange County’s very own, somewhat famous professional company does have to fear from “REP” is not that playgoers will mistake this backstage comedy for real history or even for legend, but that SCR’s founding artists might take a fit of nostalgia and dress up again in bunny suits.

Just kidding.

Unfortunately, Atkins is just kidding, too--in the sense of laughable rather than funny. And that seems to have been the conclusion drawn by most of the audience Sunday at the Costa Mesa Civic Playhouse, where “REP” is in its world premiere production.

The amateurish first act, which features a grating pair of bunny-suited characters (OK, so one of them was in a tiger suit), started out playing to a full house of roughly 90. The audience cleared out in droves during the intermission, and by the second act (which didn’t improve) the house was less than half full.

A million Frenchmen can be wrong. But this time I’d say it’s Atkins who missed the target. To enshrine a legend you need more than bad gags about actors gone ga-ga for show-biz and schmaltz about mix-and-match love affairs and bromides about artistic growing pains.

*

As a spoof, “REP” could use jokes that work. As a soap, it could use more conflict. As a script, it is, at best, a work in progress. The first thing Atkins could do to improve it would be to decide whether he’s writing farce or drama.

Atkins, who also directs, has some good satirical ideas. The troupe’s bulletin board, for example, boasts a large sign pompously announcing: “LOOK WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING.” Posted below it is a clipping so tiny you can barely see it.

But a retrospective slide show capping the second act to illustrate the success of the rep troupe--which has graduated from bunny suits to tuxedos for a 10th anniversary fund-raiser--turns out to be a miscalculation. It plays like the photo album of a wedding you didn’t attend.

The cast is game but inexperienced and under-rehearsed.

* “REP,” Costa Mesa Civic Playhouse, 661 Hamilton St., Costa Mesa. Tuesdays-Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. Ends June 26. $6.50-$10. (714) 650-5269. Running time: 2 hours, 5 minutes. Bill Tigue: Richard

Steve Gomer: Mike

Paul Jacek: Mel

Jill Smith: Angie

Stephanie Courtney: Rachel

Joe Finnegan: Ken

A Costa Mesa Civic Playhouse production of a play written and directed by Greg Atkins. Executive producer: Cheryl Young. Production design: Mark Andrew. Costumes: Pat Tompkins. Sound: Jenson Crawford. Original music: Rob Blaney. Stage manager: Babette Schutt.