By Charlotte K. Jarmy

Theater review

“Bermuda Avenue Triangle” had the opening-night audience at the Palo Alto Players’ final production of the season laughing throughout this loony farce.

The story centers on two elderly widows - one Jewish, the other Irish Catholic - who are convinced by their daughters to try sharing a pink and green condo in Las Vegas.

Helene O’Connor as Fannie Saperstein, the Jewish mama portrayed in the stereotypical style of all such suffering mothers, understands her role and immediately starts moaning and complaining about their flashy surroundings.

Melody Cole as the caustic Catholic woman, Tess La Ruffa, agrees, but resorts to her own characteristic manner: “I wouldn’t give it to a leper!” She, too, plays her role to the hilt when she badgers her daughter with, “Who do you love more, your husband or your mother?”

Obviously, neither woman is especially sympathetic. In fact, I was warming to the daughters’ points of view until some dramatic twists in the plot endeared these cranky women to me.

Do not expect any shade of deeper meaning or fuller characterizations from the plot. Rabbi Levine (Bill Badger), whose role is more block leader than spiritual guide, arrives in colorful shorts and shirt to welcome the women to the daily activities.

Badger does not look or sound comfortable and shows no special ability to fit the comic atmosphere his role demands.

But Tom Baxley, as con man Johnny Paolucci, contributes both froth and farce when he convinces these unhappy women that they have plenty of life left in them. His style as the charming Italian, all flashy compliments and open romantic lovemaking with each woman, brings spice and awakening ardor into their depressing stories of the past.

Each woman changes with amazing alacrity into a version of overdressed, sexy dames, thinking she is the lucky object of Johnny’s sexual needs.

Baxley really becomes Johnny, who lives off his delighted victims, drinking constantly and managing to bilk each trusting, foolish woman of money. What makes Baxley so good as an actor is that he exaggerates but really seems to enjoy making these women happy again. He is limber and tumbles about easily.

At one point, he tells Fannie that she wears wonderful perfume. She answers seriously, “I’m not wearing perfume, it’s chicken fat.” This quip is an example of the broad and silly comic skills shown by writers Renee Taylor and Joseph Bologna.

The menage a trois household becomes an open scandal, and the poor, beleaguered rabbi has to demand on moral grounds that Fannie and Tess leave. The plot loses some of its wild farce as the final act winds down toward the expected reconciliation between mothers and daughters. With Johnny gone, the women must live with the memory of a short but wonderful adventure. We feel glad for the women, but miss Johnny too. Evil can be more fun than goodness.

“Bermuda Avenue Triangle” runs through Saturday at Lucie Stern Theater, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. For tickets, call 329-0891.