THEATER:A furious, funny ‘Fox’

When a show has been created by the mind of the playwright responsible for the movies “Oh, God” and “Tootsie,” the TV series “MASH” and the book for such comedic musicals as “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” and (my personal favorite) “City of Angels,” you can expect a rollicking good time.

You get that — and more — at Orange Coast College, where director Alex Golson has assembled a huge student cast and turned an ensemble scene into organized pandemonium in his revival of Larry Gelbart’s “Sly Fox,” on stage this weekend only at OCC’s Robert B. Moore Theater.

Inspired by Ben Jonson’s 18th century play “Volpone,” Gelbart’s “Sly Fox” centers on a gold-hoarding miser who fleeces various citizens hoping to profit from his “impending” demise. The action has been fast-forwarded to late 19th century San Francisco, where graft, bribery and other forms of chicanery reign supreme.

What impresses most about OCC’s production is not that its leading actors (James Barrett and Tim Zimmer) are so adept at their portrayals, but that there are so many meaty characterizations in the supporting ranks. Golson has unleashed his most ravenous scenery chewers to feed on Gelbart’s juicy prose.

Barrett, in the title role of zillionaire Foxwell J. Sly, is a picture of cunning craftiness when not otherwise engaged in bogus death throes for the benefit of prospective beneficiaries. Zimmer orchestrates his employer’s scams adroitly, playing a good portion of his scenes straight out front to the audience.

Sly’s primary targets are a shifty lawyer (Daniel Vega), an avaricious old man (David Cowan) and a young accountant (Jeff Kieviet), whose comely wife (Amy Abbascia) is coveted by the old fox. Then there’s the local madam (Jill Prout), who’s out to get Fox’s signature on a marriage license.

All these performers are highly effective, but the real guffaws come when Fox is dragged into court to face the wrath of Cowan’s outraged military officer son (Patrick Koffel) and the tippling, gavel-thumping judge (Dan Barnard).

Both of these actors make the rafters rattle with their incendiary interpretations, while timid court clerk Casey Moriarty offers a low-key contrast.

The courtroom scene, in particular, is a maelstrom of mirth, with playgoers’ attentions demanded on various fronts, simultaneously. Gelbart’s dialogue draws much comic blood, but it’s the antics of Golson’s wild and crazy actors that’ll bring down the house.

Technical director David Scaglione has created some effective settings that can be briskly wheeled on and off stage, while Cynthia Corley’s period costumes nicely emphasize the characterizations.

Since the “big stage” at OCC has limited availability, “Sly Fox” completes its brief engagement this weekend. It’s worth missing one World Series game for.

IF YOU GO“Sly Fox”

WHAT:

WHERE: Orange Coast College Robert B. Moore Theater, Costa Mesa

WHEN: Closing performances tonight and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 2:30

COST: $8 to $10

CALL: (714) 432-5880