STAGE REVIEW : The Laughs in ‘Comedy’ Too Labored

“The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940” is reminiscent of the genre parodies on the old “Carol Burnett Show.” Unfortunately, it’s about two hours longer than most of the Burnett sketches, and the admission price is considerably higher.

The most startling thing about it is that it was written by John Bishop, whose more serious plays marked him as a potentially important writer. His one-acts, “Borderline” and “Cabin 12,” received superb productions here in the mid-’80s, and his earlier “The Trip Back Down” has been revived on several occasions.

Maybe Bishop just wanted to have a little fun and make a little money. It’s hard to think of any other motivations behind “Musical Comedy Murders of 1940,” which lasted three months on Broadway in 1987, transferring there from New York’s Circle Rep. This looks like nothing more than a would-be cash cow on the dinner theater circuit.

We’re at a backers’ audition for a new musical comedy in, yes, 1940, at a wealthy Long Island estate. While the snow accumulates outside, murders accumulate inside.

The plot line is tangled for parodistic purposes. Still, to have a Nazi saboteur as well as a chorus girl killer on the premises seems excessive. It wouldn’t matter, if the laughs were as abundant as the plot strands. But the ratio of successful gags to attempted ones is somewhere around 1 to 5.

Bishop gets off a few amusing show-biz zingers. Director Michael Keenan’s cast--notably Liz Torres, Carol Arthur, Georgia Phillips, Donna Emett, Jill Tracy and Mark Snelson--appears to enjoy taking the stereotypes over the top. But not all of them were as nimble with the quips as they should have been, two performances after opening night. It was a long evening.

Gary Wissman’s intricate set includes a number of sliding doors leading to secret passages. But the most welcome door was the one that led to the exit.

“The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940,” Tiffany Theater, 8532 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, Thursdays-Sundays, 8 p.m. Ends July 7. $17-$19. (213) 289-2999. Running time: 2 hours, 10 minutes.