Animal Crackers

The comedy of the Marx Brothers has always been an excuse to revel in anarchy. The non sequitors, the rule breaking, the utter abandon of civilized norms, the comedy team were much more than Groucho's cigar. So when a production of one of their stage musicals is so tame, mannered and predictable, it's a double let down. Unfortunately, despite many energetic performances and some dead-on Marx impersonations, the Lyric Stage Company's production of "Animal Crackers" is precisely that kind of disappointment.

The last of the brothers' Broadway musicals and arguably their weakest, "Animal Crackers" is ostensibly about a house party being thrown by Mrs. Rittenhouse to show off a borrowed painting and honor the African explorer Captain Spaulding. Of course, all that is a skeleton on which to hang Groucho making jokes about a tiger in his pajamas and other pleasant piffle.

As Groucho, Ed Hoopman (last at the Lyric in "The Importance of Being Earnest") perfectly embodies the funny man, from his patter to his walk. He delivers every one of Groucho's zany monologues with aplomb and gets in some witty ad-libs. With Nael Nacer equally well cast as Chico, the two toss off some truly fine bits of insanity.

But bits are the entire Lyric's production is capable of providing. Director Spiro Veloudos chose the Goodman Theatre of Chicago's adaptation, which trades a large chorus and cast of characters for nine actors who must do a staggering amount of doubling, and therein lies a lot of the trouble. When you have the same actress playing the scheming Grace, the ing�nue Mary and the nameless girl being endlessly chased by Harpo, you have to give the audience a reason other than budgetary constraints. But there is no winking on stage changes or other references until nearly intermission and by then the opportunity has been squandered.

Not every actor makes his or her roles distinctive. While Grant MacDermott is perfectly and hysterically bland as leading man John Parker, he's a non-entity in the Zeppo part of Horatius Jamison, and Calvin Braxton has a giddy sweetness as fishmonger turned media tycoon Roscoe Chandler but not nearly proper enough as butler Hives.

Finally, the skeleton crew leaves the mediocre score nowhere to hide. The songs were never the most memorable part of any Marx Brothers show or movie, but a sizable chorus can hide a multitude of sins. With such a tiny ensemble and yawn-inducing melodies, clever staging is called for, but Veloudos and choreographer Rachel Bertone play things entirely straight. The only bright spots are Hoopman and Lyric regular Leigh Barrett, doing a pitch perfect Margaret Dumont as Mrs. Rittenhouse, almost singing a love song in "Show Me a Rose," the likable Aimee Doherty and Jordan Ahnquist tapping in the "Long Island Lowdown" and Doherty belting up a storm in the enjoyable but completely out of place "The Blues My Naughty Sweety Gives to Me."

A lot of energy, some great performances and a few good moments are sadly wasted in this stripped down show. A giddy spring comedy treat was a lovely idea, but the Lyric's production has all the fizz of a bottle of champagne left open overnight.

"Animal Crackers" continues through June 4 at the Lyric Stage Company, 140 Clarendon Street, Boston. For more information visit www.lyricstage.com