‘Acme Swimsuit’ Is Stretch Material

“Acme Swimsuit Edition,” the latest sketch comedy show from the Acme Players’ main company, sports flashes of brilliance and some talented comics, but if ever pruning shears were needed, it’s here. Almost every scene overshoots its premise, making even the clever routines seem, well, routine.

Nevertheless, sharp performances provide plentiful laughs. The best scene pits a hapless office worker (Russell Bell) against a reclusive (and disembodied) corporate head (Josh Gilbert) in an inspired bit of lunatic staging. Another sequence spotlights a jaded, alcoholic Shamu (Alex Alexander) flailing her fins at the emptiness of stardom.

Travis Oates makes a hilarious tour guide through hell, chuckling good-naturedly at each horrific disaster. As a grown man masquerading as an adopted 5-year-old, Robert Yasumura plays cute-as-a-button to his single mom (Jonna Tamases) while hitting up her new boyfriend (Bell) for booze and cigarettes.

Other scenes rely too much on pat formulas involving nerds, neurotic relationships and urban angst. The video interludes are particularly weak, and one in particular about a theater technician turned sniper needs to go--when tackling topical horrors, the results had better be a lot funnier than this. Director M.D. Sweeney still has work to do on this one.

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* “Acme Swimsuit Edition,” Acme Comedy Theatre, 135 N. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles. Saturdays, 8 p.m. Runs indefinitely. $14. (323) 525-0202. Running time: 1 hour, 35 minutes.