‘Only Kidding’ Finds Comedy’s Dark Side

Being funny for a living is no joke, as comedian-turned-playwright Jim Geoghan convincingly points out in his serious-minded “Only Kidding” at Studio City’s Lionstar Theatre.

Set in the mid-1980s, when a spot on the Johnny Carson show could make a career, the play’s strong suit is an authenticity derived from Geoghan’s firsthand knowledge of the competitive territory of struggling comics. From mischievous pranks sabotaging one another’s club acts to the heartless backstabbing in the green room of the mythical “Buddy King Show,” the details ring depressingly true.

A capable cast makes the most of these strengths. In the battle for the King show slot, Raymond Lynch, as an egocentric, obnoxious old-school comic who’s had a change of heart, finds himself pitted against Mitch Silpa’s ruthless, up-and-coming hipster and his mobster-linked manager (Joseph Gargiulo). Sympathetic bystanders caught in the fray are a neurotic associate producer (Richard Israel) and a staff writer (Ron Reynolds) who used to be the hipster’s partner.

Unfortunately, Geoghan’s plotting isn’t on par with his observations. But despite an implausibly sentimental ending and some distractingly limited production resources (contemporary props clashing with the period setting), this one still lands its share of punches below the Borscht Belt.

* “Only Kidding,” Lionstar Theatre Stage II, 12655 Ventura Blvd., Studio City. Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Ends Aug. 11. $10. (213) 660-TKTS. Running time:2 hours, 15 minutes.