‘What’s So Funny?’ Is A Mixed Bag

“What’s So Funny?,” an original comedy by Ryan Paul James, opened last Friday at the Pierson Playhouse and concludes this Saturday and Sunday at 8 p.m.
The play, performed without an intermission, takes place in Hollywood in 1966. Four comedy TV writers are on the brink of losing their jobs on “The Art Winkler Variety Show” and are given one hour to create a funny sketch.
Half of the stage becomes the scene, as they “write” a sketch, similar to the ones that used to run in “The Carol Burnett Show.” Actors perform the scene as the writers watch.
The play is strongest then, when the scene actors, under the direction of Larry Eisenberg, are given full reign. Particularly funny is the sketch with Sheerluck Holmes (Joe Dalo) and his ever helpful assistant Watt (Izzy Diaz ).
Two women, played by Sue Silvestri and Tanya Wilkins, are hysterical as they discover a body and call the detective. The timing, the silliness (noting that the corpse had good muscle tone and probably worked out) and high energy is exactly what makes people laugh out loud.
Equally amusing is the pretend movie scene at a train depot when a woman breaks it to her lover that she can’t leave with him because she is married and may still love her husband. The conductor (Conroe Brooks) is wonderfully enjoyable as he plays the increasingly frustrated actor trying to pronounce the upcoming destinations correctly. The male actor (Brian Delaney) is the perfect “star” who wants to know if his accent is working and then requires several “steps” so he can be the same height (or higher) than his leading lady (Wilkins).
Once the five sketches have been acted, the writers break the “fourth” wall and ask the audience, by applause to choose its favorite sketch. Afterwards, a movie screen is lowered and before the ending of the chosen sketch is shown, the audience is shown a black-and-white commercial about the joys of smoking “BelAir” cigarettes. The other four sketches not chosen can also be viewed at ryanpauljamesproductions.com.
The script is less successful when it focuses on the writers. Other than a passing mention that two of them had been married and were now divorced, the characters are not well drawn. Too many of the actor/writer’s lines are variations of “that won’t work,” “we can’t do that” and “no.” The negativity takes the audience down and doesn’t advance the script.
An old television show that often focused amusingly on a writing staff was “The Dick Van Dyke Show.” This reviewer wonders if the talented Ryan Paul James, who has penned other successful plays such as last year’s “Desperately Seeking Love,” watched any of those episodes for inspiration.
Tickets are $20.  Call (310) 454-1970 or visit plays411.com.