Groundlings’ ‘Tom’ Mixes Hits, Misses

There’s never a shortage of things in this world to laugh at, as the Groundlings are fond of reminding us. Not unexpectedly, the troupe’s latest offering of sketch comedy and improv, “Groundlings Control to Major Tom,” showcases a talented lineup in some riotously funny scenes; more surprising is the number of duds in the mix.

A few key performers score the lion’s share of comic highlights, most of which derive from exaggerated everyday experience, like Holly Mandel’s portrait of a divorced woman trying to hold her sanity together as she preps her kids for the day’s agenda, or her gossiping harpy in a cutthroat game of Pictionary. Brian Palermo is hilarious as an emasculated husband striking a blow for emancipation, and later as a sportscaster-turned-PBS financial analyst. Mike Loprete excels at high-octane high jinks with an obnoxiously loud gym workout.

Singer-rhymester Jim Wise treats us to a frenetic tour of songs with women’s monikers as a bar singer trying to guess the name of a patron (Jennifer Joyce). And in a “Scream”-inspired bit about a theater hotline recording voice run amok, an offstage Roy Jenkins injects the perfect maniacal edge into the relentless cheer that’s driven many a potential moviegoer to the video rental counter instead.

Some scenes don’t live up to their premises: a torrid Merchant Ivory blockbuster, a meandering exploration of male sensitivity on a camping trip, and a town meeting of inbred dolts. These lapses aren’t serious enough to torpedo the laughs, but they keep the hits spaced further apart than usual for a Groundlings show.

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* “Groundlings Control to Major Tom,” Groundlings Theatre, 7307 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles. Fridays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 8 and 10 p.m. Ends May 3. $17.50. (213) 934-9700. Running time: 2 hours.