There’s something funny going on at Stage Door Theatre




STRIPTEASE- Camille La Fredo, left, and Diane Le Moine catch Chris Carnicelli with his pants down in the farce

STRIPTEASE- Camille La Fredo, left, and Diane Le Moine catch Chris Carnicelli with his pants down in the farce “No Sex Please, We’re British” at the Stage Door Theatre, 28311 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills. The show runs evenings Thursdays to Saturdays through July 12 with Sunday matinees. Tickets are $12 and $15. For information, call (818) 889-5209.


Stage Door Theatre’s comedy “No Sex Please, We’re British” lives up to its name. No sex or nudity here. You won’t see anything more than a married couple kissing and a guy in very long (and colorful) boxers. What you do get is plenty of belly laughs.

This farce by Anthony Marriott and Alistair Foot pokes fun at British society of the 1970s, of the genteel class hiding lust beneath a veneer of respectability.

These people are oh, so polite to each other. They act shocked at blatant obscenity yet toss out innuendos without so much as a wink. Apparently, the free love Britain of the ’60s retrenched into more proper behavior the following decade- or pretended to, at least.

Our story opens on newlyweds Frances (Cynthia Manous) and Peter Hunter (Quinn Gonzales) as they share an early morning embrace in their flat above the bank where Peter works. Frances has ordered glassware to sell at a home party as a way to earn more money. To the couple’s shock, the box they receive from the “Scandinavian Import Company” contains naughty photographs instead of tableware.

As they ponder how to get rid of the offensive parcel (after first sneaking a few peeks at the pix), Peter’s mother, Eleanor (Deborah Parsons), moves in for a few days. Then Peter’s boss and Eleanor’s beau, Leslie Bromnead (Jim Follett), starts to spend time around the flat.

The import company continues to bombard the hapless couple with blue movies, dirty books and even a couple of uncalled-for call girls (Camille La Fredo and Diane Le Moine). Frances and Peter try to hide the items not only from their houseguests but also from a clueless police officer, Superintendent Paul (Daniel Krause), and a bank inspector, Mr. Needham (Chris Carnicelli), who pops around a day early to inspect the books and stays overnight.

Caught in the middle is Peter’s friend and coworker Brian Runnicles (Brian Bookbinder), who unwittingly signs for the first parcel and is thus sucked into the vortex. Each attempt he makes to untangle himself from this fiasco draws him in deeper. And each effort he makes to dispose of the parcels only makes matters worse- and funnier.

The plot is unbelievable at times. Frances and Peter claim they can’t return the materials, as sending pornography in the mail is illegal, yet the X-rated items are shipped to them with no repercussions. In real life, they could probably easily destroy the items and call the company to complain. And why not simply explain the problem to their friends rather than covering it up? But then, there wouldn’t be a play.

Bookbinder shines as the frantic, frazzled Runnicles. He’s a dynamo of comic energy. Manous and Gonzales work well together as the couple. These three grow increasingly exasperated in their desperation.

Carnicelli comes late in the play, but his entrance is worth the wait. You think Mr. Needham is just going to take a sleeping pill and nod off, but what ensues is a gem of physical comedy.

Follett and Parsons are dignified and snooty in their roles, as they should be. Krause is a kindly soul who means well but couldn’t nick a jaywalker if he tried. La Fredo and Le Moine are sassy and sexy as “representatives” of the Scandinavian Import Company.

Mike Monteleone directed the snappy dialogue and action, complete with plenty of farcical door slamming and running around.

For those willing to suspend their logic and go with the flow, and those who don’t mind titillating humor, it’s more than two solid hours of laugh-out-loud hijinks.

The theater is at 28311 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills. Performances continue Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. through July 12 with matinees at 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $12 to $15. For reservations, call (818) 889-5209.

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