‘On the Verge’ of Great Discovery

The intrusion of the future on a surrealistically fluid present is a lot like pit bulls, vipers and bad grammar--all are things to be accepted but hardly embraced. At least that’s the initial view from the conservative member of a trio of female explorers in 1888 who undertake a metaphysical trek through time and space in 24th Street Theatre’s playful, energetic revival of “On the Verge.”

Her dour assessment doesn’t last long, however, as a seductive whirlwind of puns, symbolic references and esoteric vocabulary fuels Eric Overmyer’s theatrical love affair with language and pop culture. And while the heady barrage of wordplay that reverberates through his mythical land of Terra Incognita will likely send viewers mentally scrambling in search of their inner dictionary, co-directors Stephanie Shroyer and Kamella Tate carefully ground their staging in heartfelt emotions.

The three well-cast adventurers are nicely differentiated by Karen Bankhead as the vivacious Alex, a willing receptacle for the inventions, technology and advertising jingles that spring unbidden from her lips as she “osmoses” the future; Sarah Zinsser as the suspicious Fanny, who gets an attitude readjustment courtesy of a newfound life partner; and Suzanne Ford as Mary, the boldest of the group, who continues onward after her companions find complacent new homes in the 1950s.

The production’s real performance treat, however, is the astonishing versatility of Wesley Mann in a colorful array of characters the women encounter on their journey. Spanning a bridge-guarding, leather-jacketed biker troll, an omniscient Mr. Coffee, a goofy gas station mechanic, a breezy lounge singer, and other facets of Overmyer’s collective Everyman, Mann’s brief but impeccably detailed portraits are worth the price of admission--even if your dictionary stays on the shelf.

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* “On the Verge,” 24th Street Theatre, 1117 W. 24th St., Los Angeles. Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 7 p.m. Ends July 3. $15. (323) 667-0417. Running time: 2 hours, 20 minutes.