‘Scottish Play’ is cursed from the start

Mention “Macbeth” in a theater, and the superstitious run for cover or seek some wacky antidote for the unforgivable sin. “Macbeth,” theater people know, is a famously cursed play, productions of which have been accompanied throughout the centuries by so many mishaps and mayhem that it is said even the mention of the title can be enough to cause physical harm. Instead, it must always be referred to by an alternate name, “The Scottish Play.”

Of course, mishaps and mayhem, from the playwright’s perspective, present opportunities. In Lee Blessing’s comedy “The Scottish Play,” a theater company takes on a production of you-know-what, only to witness what it means when everything that can go wrong goes wrong.

Blessing’s play is receiving its world premiere at La Jolla Playhouse, and as far as safety goes on opening night, nobody actually got hurt, at least not physically. Blessing’s reputation as a reliable writer, though, takes a significant hit, as this lame effort is so distinctly poor that it’s enough to generate a new superstition: Plays about the cursed play are cursed from their inception.

The prognosis for Blessing’s ultimate recovery remains quite good. All playwrights eventually misfire, especially if they turn out work as prolifically as Blessing does. After Shakespeare, in fact, Blessing is the most produced playwright at La Jolla Playhouse, which has mounted, among others, his biggest hit, “A Walk in the Woods,” and his comedic sequel to “Hamlet,” “Fortinbras.”

“The Scottish Play” begins, at least, with a bang, but it’s a literal and not a figurative one. A percussionist positioned above the stage surprises the audience with a sudden thump, seemingly signaling that this should be an evening of the unexpected.

And the opening scene, easily the funniest of the show, continues the pleasant tease. Alex McConnell (John C. Vennema), founder of the Northernmost Shakespeare Festival of upper Michigan, is determined to produce the one Shakespeare play they have avoided, the mention of which sends the prissy artistic director, Billy Neill (Peter Bartlett), into a spitting, salt-throwing, superstitious fit, one that not even the threat of forced retirement can subdue.

Jack Bonner (Jere Burns), the company’s recently sober and notably unsuperstitious director, takes over the theater’s reins.

Instantly, things start to go wrong. A blizzard in May is followed by a flood. In addition to natural disasters, there are the human-made ones: Billy, not so quick to disappear, manages to arrange the casting of all three of Jack’s ex-wives -- Maud (Susan Knight), Zita (Rebecca Wisocky) and Eden (Bridget Regan) -- as the witches. And a Hollywood star arrives to play Macbeth, in the form of handsome, vapid and controlling Path Sanderson (Erik Heger). If only he’d read the play instead of just the “coverage,” he wouldn’t feel the need for a rewrite. And if only Jack weren’t so determined to kiss up to Path in the hope of employment in L.A., he could resist the actor’s ridiculous suggestions.

We’ve seen all these plot threads done before, and better. Unfortunately, Blessing exhausts his inspiration with the set-up alone, and the able cast must mine for morsels of humor.

Not all that’s wrong here is Blessing’s fault. Melia Bensussen’s direction is sluggish and, perhaps understandably, afraid. The most thrilling moments provided by Judy Gailen’s set -- a rock falls from the rafters, the trap door opens unexpectedly and more -- come off without the intended jolts of excitement.

There does seem to be some comic life, but it’s offstage, reported to us by Jack’s lovelorn assistant, Pewter (Diana Ruppe).

The actress cast as Lady Macbeth tries to arrive by train, then by bus, then by SUV and ends up injured and arrested. Her travails sound like the story Blessing perhaps wanted to tell -- of theater people striving against all odds, even when fate contrives against them, to put on a show.

What we get instead lacks any such thematic or narrative drive.

*

‘The Scottish Play’

Where: La Jolla Playhouse, 2910 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla

When: 8 p.m. Tuesdays to Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays

Ends: Oct. 23

Price: $29 to $52

Contact: (858) 550-1010

Running time: 2 hours, 20 minutes