STAGE REVIEW : A ROGUE YOU CAN LOVE IN ‘SHOW-OFF’

At the center of the Grove Theatre Company’s “The Show-Off” is Aubrey Piper, one of the most annoying protagonists ever to parade across an American stage.

This guy is a back-slapping, chronic fibber with more energy and hot air than the power company. Aubrey sees himself as the hero of even the smallest crisis and punctuates every statement with a cackling laugh. He fascinates almost as much as he annoys, and, through Howard Shangraw’s colorful acting, he does plenty of both.

As the focus of George Kelly’s 1924 comedy (which runs until March 28 at the Gem Theatre in Garden Grove), Aubrey is the quintessential no-account who invades a conservative Philadelphia family by marrying the youngest daughter, Amy (Debbie Grattan), an impulsive girl prone to tantrums and faulty decisions. Only Amy likes Aubrey--everyone else is horrified, both by the man and the union.

And for good reason. Shangraw has turned this relatively unsophisticated period piece into his own sideshow by creating a character that is both startling and familiar. Remember the party drunk you couldn’t escape from? How about the gung-ho salesman who wouldn’t take no for an answer? Shangraw knows these people intimately, and they grin through his portrayal. When Aubrey smacks the grumpy father-in-law (Mel Donnelly) on the shoulder in an attempt to get clubby, all the while chattering away, there’s an uneasy feeling of deja vu .

But the performance isn’t merely a retread of the obnoxious house guest cliche. Shangraw has managed to make Aubrey as fresh as a shot of seltzer. Even his voice, sort of an insistent singsong, is first grating and then curiously interesting. And when he does little things like slowly appraising himself in the mirror while adjusting his carnation, Shangraw shows he inhabits the role completely.

Some of the funniest moments come when the mother (Kay Berlet) gets her claws into this new son-in-law. It’s really a one-sided battle: the vain Aubrey doesn’t even recognize insults, so this stout Irish matriarch wades in with ever-increasing zeal. Berlet, with her imposing figure, starchy stares and sharp comic timing, makes the mother a force to be reckoned with, but in the end even she’s no match for Aubrey.

There aren’t many bad moves in any of the performances, nor in David Herman’s direction, which toys little with the straightforward plot and lets the characters’ interactions hold our attention. And when they’re not fighting because of Aubrey, they squabble among themselves like a typical family.

A bad dose of sibling rivalry exists between Amy and her older sister, Clara (Susan Adams), a real lady who just can’t understand how any girl could be so flighty. Clara is also not too satisfied with her own husband, the somber but responsible Frank. These domestic tensions are not exactly the stuff of Albee or Shepard, but they do generate some dramatic moments that stand as counterpoint to the humor.

There’s an air of authenticity in Gil Morales’ set, which re-creates a comfortable, working-class living room. The period realism continues with Karen J. Weller’s costumes--Amy’s dresses carry the flapper’s signature, and Aubrey’s suits are self-consciously dapper down to the snappy bowler, trailing scarf and perfect spats. Just the right uniform for the young ne’er-do-well on the make.

“THE SHOW-OFF”

George Kelly’s comedy, at the Gem Theatre. Director David Herman. Sets Gil Morales. Costumes Karen J. Weller. Lighting Devin Cook. Stage manager Nancy A. Petrella. With Susan Adams, Kay Berlet, Debbie Grattan, Steven Toth, Mel Donnelly, Bud Leslie, Howard Shangraw, Wayne Watkins and Jim Harnagel. Plays Wednesday through Saturday at 8 p.m., 3 p.m. March 22 and 7:30 p.m. March 8 and 15. Closes March 28. Tickets $10-$13. 12852 Main St., Garden Grove. (714) 636-7213.