Fear of Ducks Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the theater, along comes the inspired lunacy of Radio Music Theatre. You're never safe around these three (Steve Farrell, Vicki Farrell, Rich Mills), for you could die laughing, or at the very least spray your drink out of your nose as you gasp for breath. We wouldn't want it any other way. This scrumptious little tour de farce is one of the group's "unfertle" comedies, which means it doesn't feature those lovable Fertles from Dumptser, Texas. But never fear; author Steve Farrell has populated this juicy fable with new creations that could each have an entire series written about them, too. Revealing too much of the plot would be sacrilege — and nearly impossible — for the show doesn't move as much as it's propelled, by entrances and exits, one-liners, non sequiturs and our continuing laughter. Suffice it to say, there's a whacked-out, curly-headed televangelist, Jimmy Dillard, who's in a hissy fit over the fact that rocker du jour A.C. Adapter is to appear at the Margaret Mueller Mitchell Miller Pavilion at Precious Pines, Houston's most-planned planned community. Dillard's ready to do his "instant damnation" on this horn-headed smut rapper, especially for his hit tunes "Bra Full of Love" and "Set Your Parents' Pants on Fire." Adapter is not suitable for children, being one himself. That he also has two gigantic electrical prongs imbedded in the top of his head should say something about his state of mind, or lack thereof. Everything goes blissfully out of control, and there's even a delightfully affecting, albeit brief, scene between the fried rocker and the oblivious Mrs. Peeples, whose son has won a day with A.C., that's surprisingly lovely. Situated among the verbal mayhem, it's a little gem. Through August 28. 2623 Colquitt, 713-522-7722. — DLG
Tomfoolery Once upon a peace march, back in the '60s, Tom Lehrer was the hippest dude in town. His wiseass protest songs — full of barbed wit that tweaked the nose of the establishment — made him the voice of his generation. This quaint nostalgia is now on view at Main Street Theater's Chelsea Market as Tomfoolery, a jukebox revue made from Lehrer's old works. But if his satires of yesterday are out of touch ("In Old Mexico" and "I Wanna Go Back to Dixie" especially are replete with easy putdowns and stereotypes), his music-making is joyously fresh and sounds somewhat Broadway. That's the surprise here: Lehrer's a much better tunesmith than anyone thought at the time when his parodies were all the rage. There's even a bit of the Golden Age inside "I Hold Your Hand in Mine" and "She's My Girl." But Lehrer's melodies certainly need a more clever pastiche than this show, which is cobbled together without a connecting thread or even simple theme. As it now stands, we get a protest song against nuclear proliferation, then a college anthem, then a tongue-twister listing the elements in the Periodic Table, à la Gilbert and Sullivan. This is a catalog musical without any catalog. Thankfully, the talented cast of five (and a jazzy musical quartet) is on hand to lead us through with minimum pain. Susan Draper, Jonathan McVay, Shondra Marie, Daniel C. O'Brien and, particularly, Joshua Estrada (whose bounce, verve and animated eyebrows make him a quintessential song-and-dance man) keep the pace humming and lively. If you ever carried a picket sign or wore flowers in your hair, then this trip back to the past will be a contact high. Through June 27. Chelsea Market, 4617 Montrose, 713-524-6706. — DLG
