`Stage Struck’ is absurdly fun event

At the end of the first act in Simon Gray’s pseudo-thriller “Stage Struck,” Widdecombe, a glib psychologist, questions Robert, the jilted and vengeful husband of stage star Anne O’Neill. His inquisition comes with rapid-fire directness:”How often have you been unfaithful to your wife? Have you harbored any desires to kill her? Have you behaved violently toward her?”

The moment is filled with high suspense and intrigue, but when a hanging body — sadistically bound in ropes and pierced with a switchblade — drops from a loft, the mood takes an unsettling turn, and suddenly it’s one of those funny moments in theater when you’re not sure whether you’re supposed to suspend your disbelief or delight in the camp of a goofy prop.

It may be rascally to reveal this clever little device which sensationalizes the Acadia Repertory Theatre production of Simon’s 1979 London hit, but that lofty body is the only example of a plot surprise in an otherwise unmysterious mystery. You’ll quickly guess every twist and turn in this show-biz comedy about a murderous love triangle and the poor fool who gets lassoed in by the primary actors. By the second act, all the amateur sleuths in the audience will be able to anticipate which shots are blank, which body is dead, which blood is fake, and who really done it.

In short, “Stage Struck” is not the most invigorating example of the genre, and it certainly is not Gray’s best effort at wordplay, but the show is, nevertheless, an absurdly fun event thanks to the kooky humor of director John Erickson. He knows he is working beyond the technical possibilities of his theater, but does so with imaginative finesse and admirable awareness.

Actor Ken Stack, who plays the lead role of Robert, is no small factor in the success of this show. In one of his best performances, Stack zips through his lines with facility and terrific comic timing. On opening night, he saved the show more than once with his quick-thinking tricks and on-stage suaveness. He may milk a few moments for more than they’re worth, but his alacrity keeps the show alive.

Katharine Tyson, as Ann, gets off to a good start opposite Stack, but repeatedly screams her lines in a stilted fashion. The repetitive intonation is irksome for an entire act, but there’s no danger of not hearing her lines.

Lou Solomon, as the nearby neighbor who wields weapons, is appropriately shifty and slippery, but at his best in snappy repartee rather than extended lines.

Eugene J. Tierney, as the doctor-cum-con-man Widdecombe, drags the pace down a bit with overblown expressiveness. In a lovely monologue during which Widdecombe reveals his essential self, Tierney misses the opportunity to reach into the hearts of the viewers and make them understand the character’s deepest fears and human foibles. It is Gray’s best moment as a writer, and Tierney’s least interesting as an actor.

“Stage Struck” will be performed 8:15 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday through July 12, and 2 p.m. July 12 at Acadia Repertory Theatre in Somesville. For reservations, call 244-7260.