Unearthing ‘Planet’ Mired in Silliness

The difference between apes and monkeys is that the latter is considered less evolved, and the production of “Conquest of the Monkey Planet” at the Theatre of NOTE certainly lives up to that low expectation.

Billed as funny words and actions in skit form written by the performers (John DeMita, Dane Holweger, Robert Kempf, Eleanor Lind, Andrew Philpot and Kate Vogt), the level of silliness in the 15 pieces never rises above the class-clown comedy zone.

The ensemble targets politically correct victims such as the almost indistinguishable songs produced as Christian music in “Dove Awards,” the far-rightness of Charlton Heston in “A Chat with Charlton” and the hokey reenactments of real-crime programs in “Crime Blotter.” “Crime Blotter” actually consists of three sequences but has little regard for characterizations. At first, Kempf appears as a hyper-paranoid buxom broad concerned about stolen paper clips, but in the next segment her concerns are more serious and her paranoia has mysteriously vanished.

Nothing new, clever, witty or dangerous is on display. The group opts for easy targets, using stupid, nerdy or repulsive characters, forgetting that the foundation of comedy is content and wit. Director Julia Fletcher keeps the action moving but apparently offers little guidance.

A day at the zoo watching real simian silliness is more entertaining. It’s unfortunate that monkeys don’t have lawyers protecting their interests.

* “Conquest of the Monkey Planet,” Theatre of NOTE, 1517 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood. Tuesdays-Wednesdays, 8:30 p.m. Ends Sept. 25. $10. Running time: 1 hour, 5 minutes.