“Reverse Psychology”? Well, RIGHT ON! Diversionary Theatre!

What a great idea for a gay-Lesbian-transgender theatrical company to further explore the priceless catalogue of the late Charles Ludlam, creator, proprietor and principal performer of the Ridiculous Theatrical Company.

In 29 plays written, designed and directed over the last 21 years of his brief life, before his AIDS death in 1987 aged 44, Ludlam created a unique universe of deadly serious subjects illuminated by mad farce. “Theatre without the stink of art,” as he called it.

But, of course, there was art aplenty all over the endlessly inventive and never disappointing shows that lived in the cellar beneath Sheridan Square. Cheap movies, grand opera, the world of fashion, fairy tales, Shakespeare, comic books, warhorses from every genre... they all spilled out of Charlie’s grinder slightly askew but inevitably re-invigorated.

A major key to Ludlam’s sensibility was his “non-sentimental romanticism,” as Steven Samuels writes in the big book of Charlie’s work. “This is farce,” Ludlam proclaimed in his manifesto, “not Sunday school,” but farce, to him, didn’t mean endless mirth so much as it did relentless, sardonic, savage honesty.

I saw him perform in perhaps 10 of his plays and I don’t recall ever seeing him smile with any genuine warmth. I loved his work but...brrrr.

“Reverse Psychology” is Charlie playing with George Feydeau. (A great pair of theatre parties these days would be this show plus La Jolla Playhouse’s “Private Fittings,” an adaptation of Feydeau, the epitome of French farceurs.) Just four actors seem like many more (another Ludlam trick) as they gorge themselves on stereotype gags from two of the richest sources, marriage and psychoanalysis.

The lines that resonates down the years is one woman’s reason for not using an intrauterine contraceptive device: “Every time I cross my legs, the garage door opens.” But that’s really funny. How to explain the laugh he got (and gets) with something like: “We went to a nudist colony to expose our differences.”? THAT takes artistry, in setting up a atmosphere where that’s funny.

Diversionary’s production works because of the actors: Phil Johnson in Ludlam’s role of intense neurotic, Michael Rich Sears playing the vacant nudniks usually done by Bill Vehr; pert Michelle DeFrancesco as the tootsie ditz (Black- Eyed Susan’s role) and Jennipher Lewis, lush and smothering in the dame part shared by many.

These fine citizens persevere even when the direction sags and the decor is perfunctory rather than fun-cheesy. (Where’s the endless pinwheel projection for the last scene?) Robert Salerno is listed as director, but a program insert credits Tim Irving, everybody’s favorite antic, with “additional stage direction,” a doleful phrase suggesting chaos barely avoided.

But, as one of my favorite blithe spirits might say, “La, La.” What counts is that there’s a lot of Charlie on this stage and that Diversionary is honorably perpetuating the potent homosexual heritage of the modern theatre.