Fresh Comic Blood

Since the Acme Comedy Players left one arts district--NoHo--for another--La Brea--the Valley has suffered from a lack of fresh comic blood, the kind generally infused by a small, young and hungry company of funny people that is almost a requirement for any vital theater scene. Time will tell, but the Instigators may be that new needed blood. They aren’t in NoHo, but rather at Two Roads Theatre on Tujunga Avenue--one of the Valley’s authentic neighborhood village pockets and Studio City’s answer to Larchmont Boulevard.

It’s the perfect setting for a comedy group, especially during spring, when the poorly insulated Two Roads is neither too cold nor too hot. And the present season is the theme of its new show, “Spring Cleaning,” which pretty much consumes all the possible comic possibilities of spring.

From yard sales to Irish Spring soap commercials to tax time to Daylight Savings Time to spring break to, yes, a “Dating Game” for pollinating plants, the Instigators’ lineup of material reminds you that to everything there is a season, and how absurd the season can be.

Seasoned isn’t the first word to use for this quintet of writer-performers (Cassandra Beckerman, Doa Farrentine, Barbara Holliday, Jason Lassen and Adam Lucas Smith), but they generate enough simpatico that the blending of small dollops of improv into the scripted skits is nearly unnoticeable.

The dominant idea person here, as well as the looniest performer, is Beckerman, who has Gilda Radner’s knack for taking over a scene with mad energy, and she combines it with the sort of naughtiness displayed on “Mad TV.” She’s not afraid to either go quiet when a scene is loud or turn distastefully un-P.C. Her pushing of a stereotype to the edge is strangely amazing.

Beckerman has a fine foil in Holliday, who’s quite a clown in her own right. Farrentine, Lassen and Smith provide good male yin to match the show’s female yang. Director Dave Reinitz keeps things moving even when some skits fall flat, but he should arrange for music director Kevin Comstock to play live, rather than on tape. Bill Perron’s warmup comic magic act is fine, but not needed.

BE THERE

“Spring Cleaning” at Two Roads Theatre, 4348 Tujunga Ave., Studio City. 8:30 p.m. Fridays. Ends May 2. Tickets are $10. (818) 506-5739.