‘California’s’ Schemes Are Quite Transparent

Ron House’s comedy “California Schemin’, “ at the Whitmore-Lindley Theatre Center, is a dismal piece about a cheap shyster desperately trying to raise money in a 24-hour period. It barely reaches the level of mediocre high school productions.

House plays Roger Gallais, a man who is about to be evicted from his West Hollywood home office by his soon-to-be ex-wife Lola (Marcia Del Mar). A naive country girl, Wanda (Denise Moses), accidentally walks in looking for a private investigator to find her long-lost love, whom she hasn’t seen in 25 years. Roger and his accomplice Jules (Donovan Scott) conspire to con her.

Meanwhile, Lola plots with her English boyfriend Nobby (Oliver Muirhead) to blow up the building. A stand-up comic/wannabe actress who laughs like a mule (Amy Court) and an in-line-skating political candidate (also played by Muirhead) complicate matters.

The humor is dreadfully obvious, and the writing is full of wasted verbiage and tired phrases. House the actor has obviously been indulged by House the director and playwright.

It’s one of those plays that everyone should miss because no one would miss it.

*

* “California Schemin’, “ Whitmore-Lindley Theatre Center, 11006 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood. Fridays-Saturdays, 8 p.m. Indefinitely. $15. (818) 761-0704. Running time: 2 hours.