Little Comic Sunshine in ‘Shady Tree’

Writer and director Ted Lange’s new comedy, “Flowers of Shady Tree,” at the Inglewood Playhouse, creaks so badly with decidedly unfunny jokes, senseless subplots and tasteless scenarios that one leaves feeling prematurely aged.

The flowers in the title aren’t spring blooms, but refer rather to a father, “Kansas City” Flower (Alan Eady), who lives in a senior care facility called Shady Tree, and his son Walter (Marcus Steward), who runs it.

Lange has scattered an assortment of eccentrics: the retired professor (Esther W. Hersh) who takes LSD to celebrate New Year’s Day; the retired plumber (Dennis Delsing) who served in the armed forces and whose acts of commando sabotage include putting laxatives in chocolates; the shy UCLA intern (Amy Thiel); the cranky, senile lady in the wheelchair (Wilda Taylor); and her nerdy grandson (James T. Gunderson).

The recent death of the facility’s owner leaves his widow (Jenny McGlinchey) in charge, and she means to sell for profit, threatening this happy home of misfits. Predictably, they band together for the good fight.

Lange adds some sex to spice up the action, but even that fails to excite. The overall effect is anesthetic.

BE THERE

“Flowers of Shady Tree,” Inglewood Playhouse, 740 Warren Lane, Inglewood. Fridays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 3 p.m. Ends July 13. $15. (323) 860-3208. Running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes.