How Human, How Hilarious

“The Supporting Cast,” a comedic howler that arrived on Broadway in 1981, is filled with gag after gag, which – done well – generates both chuckles and guffaws. And in The Sherman Playhouse’s production, a talented cast delivers stinging one-liners and physical comedy with aplomb. Four New Yorkers have arrived for lunch at the Malibu beach house of Ellen (Sarah Saltus,) wife of a prize-winning writer. It’s fire season, the roads are slowed by smoke and smog, there are landslides and earth tremors, but the New Yorkers are in for greater shocks: Ellen has used her guests as inspirations for the main characters in her first novel. The hook is that each of the five is linked, by marriage or family, to someone famous, hence the title of the play and Ellen’s book. But she can’t publish without each of the four signing a waiver, since her editors feel the book is more roman à clef than novel. As the play develops, we discover why the publishers are concerned. Mae (Jacky Saulnier) is the mother of an orchestra conductor who won’t speak to her because of an unfortunate comment she made during a TV interview. Sally (Laura Grasseler) is the estranged wife — her mate has an acknowledged mistress ­— of a congressman. Florrie (Robyn Maitland with a spot-on New-York boroughs accent) is a former hairdresser and now wife of a movie star. She and their five children travel everywhere with him to keep the bimbos away. Arnold (Bruce Tredwell) is the husband of a Broadway actress, who depends on him to smooth her life. He struts about obsessively ensuring that their every need is met wherever they go. As Act I develops, the four visitors are at first flattered to be in a novel; but they grow increasingly wary as Ellen deflects their questions, insists they eat a deli lunch flown in from Manhattan and obfuscates. Finally they find their copies and begin to read. Act II is marked by wounded, angry friends (only Mae likes her character) who turn on Ellen, only to give in when she slyly mentions that movie rights to the book have already been sold. Each wants to accompany her on book tours, appear with her on talk shows and even sign autographs themselves. Fame, even anticipated, seduces all. While the cast is uniformly fine, Maitland is a terrific Florrie, with expert timing and lusty physicality. She stirs up most of the contention over the book only to melt when contemplating her own autograph tour. Tredwell’s Arnold is a touching combination of bravado and insecurity. And Flake, while somewhat out of her depth in the first act, matches Maitland’s physicality in the second. “The Supporting Cast” plays weekends at The Sherman Playhouse through July 30. There is a single matinee July 17. For tickets, call 860 354-3622 or go to www.shermanplayers.org.