Bedroom Farce

As the lights came up for intermission, the well healed woman on my left turned to me in bewilderment and said, "I never knew a farce could be so slow." Such is the overall effect of Huntington Theater's "Bedroom Farce."

Written by the prolific British playwright Sir Alan Ayckbourn in 1975, it is considered one of his major successes although from this production the reasoning is not quite clear. As with his other works, "Farce" focuses on the lives of the British suburban middle class but offers little in the way of insight. Here he concentrates on four married couples whose lives are connected through the self-absorbed character of Trevor.

As made obvious by the title, the action takes place entirely in three bedrooms -- that of Trevor's parents (Delia and Ernest) as well as those of his friends (Malcom/Kate and Jan/Nick). Trevor and his wife Susannah's bedroom is the only one not seen; instead the two both together and individually invade the other's spaces physically and emotionally.

While the script has many of the elements of a true farce -- absurd situations, miscommunication, a bit of physical humor -- the name is quite misleading. It really plays more like a staid comedy of manners. This probably explains a good deal of my fellow theater-goers confusion about the pacing.

Across the board, the performances are solid -- if uninspired. A couple of moments stand out, but no one actor does. Director Maria Aitken has provided an entirely generic and monotone production from head to toe. The term "white bread" springs to mind.

Even the technical elements -- which Huntington always does especially well -- are bland. From Alexander Dodge's sets to Robert Morgan's costumes, the effect is just flat.

Much of the issue seems to be an avoidance of fully embracing just how dated the show is. It was written in 1975 and feels like it. It's a bit misogynistic throughout and the hints of homosexuality are used as punch lines. But instead of embracing these aspects in full to highlight how ridiculous these ideas are, the production almost tries to hide them.

Had this been a full throated homage to the era that brought us Benny Hill and Monty Python, it would probably fare much better. As is, it is one of the most underwhelming productions this season.

"Bedroom Farce" continues through December 11, 2016 at the BU Theatre, 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA. For more information, the Huntington Theatre website.