A Lot Thickens in ‘California Schemin’ ’

As part of the London comedy troupe Low Moan Spectacular, Ron House struck huge veins of laughter with “El Grande de Coca Cola” and “Bullshot Crummond.” As director of his latest farce, “California Schemin’,” now at the Gem Theater, he just misses another.

Now in its third full production, and despite many reported rewrites and edits, “Schemin’ ” could still use some work. While “Coca Cola” was inspired and “Crummond” marked a step forward in the playwright’s development, “Schemin’ ” is very relaxed, and often very funny, but hardly a benchmark.

The thin story, best for comedy, concerns Roger Gallais (Mark Blankfield), an entrepreneur from Poverty Row. He’s pushing a get-rich-quick scheme involving a machine called a transcrivator, invented by buddy Jules (Donovan Scott), that isolates brilliant thoughts. Seeking financing, he forms a detective agency into order to dupe money out of West Texas heiress Wanda (Denise Moses).

Roger needs the heiress’ money because his ex-wife, Lola Montezuma (Marabina Jaimes), who lives in America illegally, is going to take his house and business away from him to build a mini-mall. Her fugitive Brit boyfriend Nobby (Oliver Muirhead) helps complicate things.

Once viewers forgive the sloppy playwriting--a foreigner gains permanent residency upon marrying a U.S. citizen--the sloppy logic of the plot, the actors’ penchant for breaking up over their own mistakes and the sometimes deadly timing House, as director, forces on his own quite funny play, they can lean back and have a good time.

Blankfield is particularly funny as Roger, flailing with outrageous deliveries and actions out of 19th century mellerdrammer, with a deep bow to film noir and cartoon heroes whose teeth sparkle, and an underside of sleaze. Mercer is also a highly capable comic technician, with a slight touch of burlesque and high camp.

Jaimes doesn’t have much more to do than lampoon Rita Moreno, Lupe Velez and Carmen Miranda, but she does so without too much self-consciousness and gets her due laughs. Moses doesn’t get more inventive than replaying Miss Gooch, but her stock comic business works, and Amy Court’s stock tricks as an out-of-work comic on the make break the audience up, as stock tricks always do.

The deft timing and laid-back ease of Muirhead, as stupid Nobby and as a West Hollywood pol hustling votes in his brief red shorts and in-line skates, make him stand out, proving again that less is more.

Those deadly moments when everything comes to a skidding halt, which another director might have avoided, almost deaden the really big laughs, but not quite. There is some of the insanity of the Marx Brothers here, some of the twisted satire that brought “Coca Cola” to life, but it would be better if it wasn’t so hard to find.

* “California Schemin’,” Gem Theater, 12852 Main St., Garden Grove. Thursday-Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 6 p.m. Ends Nov. 9. $16.50-$22.50. (714) 741-9550. Running time: 2 hours, 45 minutes.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

“California Schemin’,”

Donovan Scott: Jules Mercer

Mark Blankfield: Roger Gallais

Marabina Jaimes: Lola Montezuma

Denise Moses: Wanda Harrington

Oliver Muirhead: Nobby Carlyle/Harvey Martin

Amy Court: Shelly Levine

A Grove Theatre Center production of Ron House’s comedy. Directed by House. Scenic/lighting design: Kevin Cochran. Costume design: Don Nelson. Choreography: Francisco Martinez. Stage manager: Karen Runta.