‘Sunday’ Keeps Its Comedy Fresh

Even by the typically high standards for sketch comedy from the Groundlings, “Smells Like Sunday” is several cuts above.

This anthology of original skits and improvs from the troupe’s Sunday night second string is distinguished not only by razor-sharp performances but also by notably fine scripting from the cast’s 15 up-and-coming talents.

They’re particularly adept at fingering the little details that pivot seemingly mundane encounters into hilarious absurdity.

A prospective roommate (Alex Kapp) is grilled by a pair of simpering Pollyannas (Mary Manofsky, Leslie Newton), whose sugarcoated tyranny is symbolized in their narrow tolerance for refrigerator decorations. (“I like my Precious Moments magnets; she prefers her favorite Cathy cartoons!”) An abrasively officious moving-truck rental agent (Christine Lederman) drives away customers who dare to make nonstandard requests. And Robin Berry’s portrait of an inebriated cruise ship junkie slurring out her exploits is so good it’s frightening.

Other premises are the soul of inspired simplicity. In a “Mission: Impossible” spoof, Ken Polk tries to follow his absurdly complicated taped instructions with silently mounting exasperation. A music video parody has a bouncy Mariah Carey (Heather McDonald) lip-syncing a relentlessly feel-good tune across a gore-strewn combat zone. A reformed smoker (Bill Birch) compulsively gobbles wad after wad of nicotine chewing gum.

In a frenzied, dead-on Albert Brooks imitation, Mike Schwartz interviews audience volunteers for his talk show. Improv sequences are under the watchful eye of director Jennifer Joyce, who understands the value of timely endings.

* “Smells Like Sunday,” Groundling Theatre, 7307 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles. Sundays, 7:30 p.m. Runs indefinitely. $12. (213) 934-9700. Running time: 2 hours, 15 minutes.