THEATER REVIEWS : Deft Telling of a ‘Boys’ Story : Garden Grove Community Theatre play about four retarded and schizophrenic men features some standout performances.

In Tom Griffin’s play, “The Boys Next Door” are four adults at a disadvantage. Two of them are retarded, one is borderline, the fourth is schizophrenic. But they have their advantages as well: Each is determined to live life to the best of his ability, and they share a therapeutic sense of humor.

They are involved in a project that places them at least marginally into the outside world under the guidance of a counselor. A production at the Garden Grove Community Theatre, under Gregory Cohen’s intelligent and empathetic direction, does a very good job of telling their story with all its humor and most of its heartbreaking loneliness intact.

Ramsey Warfield, Darnell Suttles and Peter A. Balaskas respectively are excellent as Norman, whose every sentence has an “oh boy” in it; Lucien, hung up on his green library card with his name on it, and Barry, who thinks he’s a golf pro and gives 25-cent lessons. Warfield’s buoyant excitement, Suttles’ sense of frustrated achievement and especially Balaskas’ tightly reined anger work beautifully in Griffin’s mosaic.

Still, Daryl Mendelson stands out as the borderline Arnold, with a compulsion to talk and a drive to lead. The performance is notable for the actor’s sense of comic timing, and for his ability to dredge up deep humanity in Arnold’s limited world.

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The plot revolves around counselor Jack, and Peter Dolan is very good in the role, hitting all the right buttons. But he seems not quite young enough for the part; Dolan’s own maturity seems at odds with Jack’s confusion over his career.

Although much of the production is more leisurely than it need be, Cohen has the inner rhythms down. However, the most affecting scenes--Norman’s first dance with Sheilah (Christina D. Dickinson) and Barry’s disastrous first meeting in nine years with his loser of a father (Bill Adams)--might be even more affecting if Dickinson were more physically afflicted (in the original production, Sheilah was severely disabled)and if Adams didn’t try to give the unthinking father a nice, gentle side.

* “The Boys Next Door,” Garden Grove Community Theatre, Eastgate Park, Chapman Avenue and St. Mark Street, Garden Grove. Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. through July 16, Sunday June 26 at 2 p.m. $8-$9. (714) 897-5122. Running time: 2 hours, 40 minutes. Daryl Mendelson Arnold Wiggins

Darnell Suttles Lucien P. Smith

Ramsey Warfield Norman Bulansky

Peter A. Balaskas Barry Klemper

Peter Dolan Jack

Bill Adams Mr. Klemper

Christina D. Dickinson Sheila

A Garden Grove Community Theatre production of Tom Griffin’s comedy, produced by William Ripper, directed by Gregory Cohen. Scenic design: Cohen, Robert Harmon. Lighting design: Janey Hobson. Stage manager: Jackie Mikulka.