Good-Natured Grouch at Colony’s ‘Dinner’

“Is there a man in the universe who suffers as I do the inadequacies of the human race?” bemoans curmudgeonly critic Sheridan Whiteside--that early prototype of the house guest from hell--in “The Man Who Came to Dinner.” His lament speaks for reviewers throughout the ages, so it’s still a hoot to see Whiteside give as good as he gets, wreaking havoc on the complacent populace of a small Ohio town in the Colony Theatre Company’s agreeable revival at Burbank’s Center Stage.

Nevertheless, not all facets of the venerable Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman warhorse have aged gracefully. While nostalgic appeal abounds, connecting this period piece with modern comic sensibilities proves an elusive goal in David Rose’s capable but very safe staging.

The premise is as goofily effective as ever--an accidental injury grounds the erudite, egotistical Whiteside (Tom Dugan) in the heartland household of the Stanley family, where he drives everyone crazy with his excessive demands. Amid first-rate production values, the 20-member cast acquits itself capably, and sometimes memorably--as in the blossoming romance between Sheridan’s sassy secretary (Denise Dillard) and a local reporter (Demetrio James), or the tribulations of Sheridan’s long-suffering nurse (Cindy Benson).

Unfortunately, much of the show’s humor is grounded in topical parodies whose targets--even if recognized--painfully date the jokes. However well-played, a Noel Coward-esque dandy (Chad Borden) or even a Marx Brothers amalgam (Nick DeGruccio) just don’t provoke the instant mirth they did in 1939.

The unwavering tone of good-natured warmth misses some opportunities with Whiteside (modeled after formidable Algonquin Round Table luminary Alexander Woollcott). The suitably distinguished and cerebral but far too amiable Dugan wears Whiteside’s redeeming qualities openly on his sleeve; discovering them gradually in the course of the play would add momentum to the episodic structure. As it is, this kinder, gentler gadfly’s barbs rarely draw blood and even risk giving critics everywhere a good name.

* “The Man Who Came to Dinner,” Colony Theatre Company, Burbank Center Stage, 555 N. 3rd St., Burbank. Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Ends April 3. $25-$28. (818) 558-7000. Running time: 2 hours, 45 minutes.