by Joel Elkins

Let’s see … Young couple, wacky neighbors, senile parent, absurd situations. Yep, all the ingredients for madcap comedy and Half of Plenty (now playing at Theatre/Theater) has got ‘em all. One thing it forgot: the humor. It answers the age-old question: What would happen if they threw a comedy and no jokes showed up?

The ensemble cast of the Rogue Machine Theatre Company tries its best to squeeze what few laughs there are out of playwright Lisa Dillman’s script — and there are a few — but it’s sort of like squeezing tennis balls for lemon juice, or Iraqi cab drivers for actionable intelligence. A lot of effort with little to show for it.

The story revolves around Holly and Marty Tindall, who move into a residential community in the suburbs of a nondescript city to start a new life and hopefully a new family. But for the time being, the only “child” in the house is Marty’s father who has moved in with the couple after the death of Marty’s brother. His advancing Alzheimer’s starts becoming not only a danger to himself but a significant obstacle to the couple’s attempts to get pregnant. In addition, money is tight and Marty is worried that his job at the plant is in jeopardy, forcing Holly to get an at-home job in medical transcription. (We know Marty is worried, because the actor John Pollono keeps running his fingers through his hair.)

The couple appears to be madly in love, whose only impediments to happiness are external. However, Holly begins showing signs that all is not well in Arbor Park when she begins to have an unnatural relationship with her transcription machine. Carolyn Palmer is wonderful as Holly, trying to maintain a cheery disposition through the madness.

The most entertaining scenes involve neighbors Mitzi and “Hec” Zook, representatives of the community watch group. Wacky neighbors have been a mainstay of situation comedy since prehistoric times (think Barney and Betty Rubble), and the Zooks fulfill their purpose. Betsy Zajko is marvelous as the smiling, sardonic Mitzi. Ron Bottitta plays overbearing, overfriendly “insurance buyer” Hec Zook. They are over-the-top stock caricatures, never at a loss or words, finishing each other’s sentences and always showing up at the most inopportune moments.

Robert Mandan (best known for his classic portrayal of Chester Tate on Soap) plays the seldom lucid father-in-law, trying to retain some dignity despite his mental decline. He wanders off, forgets where he is and who is around him, makes inappropriate comments and even has the habit of touching himself on stage, all in the name of comedy. Hey, I enjoy a good joke at the expense of the elderly as much as anyone, but if you’re going to go that way, you better make it really funny or really poignant. Half of Plenty doesn’t quite do either.

Barbara Kallir directs, Penny Orloff is the managing director and Matthew Elkins (no relation to this reviewer) is the producing director. Stephanie Kerley Schwartz designed the set, a modest suburban home in need of repairs and obviously furnished on a budget. The set also has an interesting twist. Without ruining the surprise, I will just say that the stage changes subtly throughout the play, in a manner that can be seen as either literal or, without too much imagination, figurative.

Half of Plenty is performed Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 7 pm through June 21, 2009.

Theatre/Theater is located at 5041 W. Pico Blvd. (two blocks west of La Brea).

Ticket prices: $25.00 (Students: $20.00)

Reservations online at http://www.roguemachinetheatre.com or by phone at (323) 960-7774