The nation's “oldest continually operating little theater” has turned to one of the stage world's oldest devices — farce — to wrap up its centennial season.

Vagabond Players' revival of Ken Ludwig's “Moon Over Buffalo,” a tale of fading actors reduced to touring the provinces in 1953, needs hotter fire in places, brighter timing in others. Still, it provides a pleasant diversion from all the weighty matters of the day. (The play's only reference to politics comes in a durable laugh line: “Without the theater, we would all be Republicans.”)

“Moon Over Buffalo” enjoyed a modest success on Broadway in 1995, thanks to its stars, Carol Burnett and Philip Bosco, who won a Tony Award for his acting in the playwright's earlier and stronger comedy “Lend Me a Tenor.”

Community theater troupes, of course, don't typically boasts performers of that caliber. But even with the best resources, “Moon Over Buffalo” can only work so much magic. Although I well recall Burnett's ability to bring down the house in that premiere Broadway production, it was more for her delivery than the material. The play just isn't all that hilarious.

Ludwig spins a decent enough tale centering on George and Charlotte Hay, who didn't make it big going from stage to screen and are now back to the stage doing “Private Lives” and “Cyrano de Bergerac” in unglamorous locales. But the writer tends to shortchange his performers, setting up many a promising comic possibility and then not going the distance.

A case in point occurs early on, when Ethel, Charlotte's hard-of-hearing mother, is treated to a stream of acidic put-downs by her son-in-law, who assumes she won't realize it. But we know he's mistaken, so we're expecting Ethel to utter a fabulous come-back. Instead, we get: “George, my hearing aid is in, now grow up.” A zinger it's not.

On the other hand, Ludwig does deliver the zany goods where it counts the most in Act 2, after the Hays, still sore about their days in Hollywood, learn that celebrated film director Frank Capra plans to catch one of their performances in Buffalo. He's seeking a replacement for an injured Ronald Colman in a movie about the Scarlet Pimpernel.

Then the various plot points start to do their crazy thing. There's the little matter of George's dalliance with a young actress. And an irate Charlotte's reaction, which involves a rich lawyer. And George's bottle-clutching response to all that.

Added to the mix: Rosalind, the Hays' daughter, who gave up stage life for advertising; her old boyfriend, Paul, who still works in the theater with her parents; and her nerdy, nervous TV weatherman fiance, Howard, who's mistaken for someone else.

The collision of these characters and concerns reaches a cool peak, with George determined to perform one play for Capra and his colleagues convinced they are supposed to perform another. If you remember the playwriting episode from “I Love Lucy,” there's not much surprise in this climactic scene from “Moon Over Buffalo,” but it's amusing nonetheless.

This is also where the Vagabond cast really shines. Greg Guyton, as George, jumps into the physical comedy without blinking and keeps the manic energy up to the end. As his wife, Michele Guyton (yes, a real-life couple plays the couple onstage) does assured work, especially evoking the diva element in Charlotte.

Caroline C. Keibach reveals supple comic skills as Rosalind, having quite a romp in the “Private “Lives” sequence that pops up to fuel the farce. Carol Conley Evans does a droll job as Ethel. Jim Baxter would be a more persuasive Paul if he turned up the volume and picked up the tempo. The other actors, too, could use a wider range of nuances.

The solid-looking production is directed by John Desmone, marking his 100th show for Vagabonds, a fitting nod to the company's 100th year.

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tim.smith@baltsun.com