STAGE REVIEW : Overburdened ‘Mammals’ : The strain of multiple societal problems topples the Limelight Playhouse production of Terry Johnson’s dark British comedy.

The “Cries From the Mammal House” in Terry Johnson’s dark British comedy are very clear. They shriek about endan gered species, colonialism, dysfunctional families, the corruption of modern society by moneyed interests and, briefly, at the very last minute, child molestation.

It all seems too much for one play to bear.

The strain topples this production at the Limelight Playhouse. Director Michael Unger has compounded his problems by changing the basic setting to central California. So much for the very British cries about colonialism. And so much for the very British tone that remains, with American speech pasted over it.

Acts I and II are set in a zoo. The patriarch who built the zoo has died, and son Alan (Patrick Husted), an Ortonesque surgeon, would carry on, but Pop sold his controlling interest to mall-building Japanese.

Brother David (Joe Lambie) prefers animals that are hard to find and is off to hunt the fast disappearing pink pigeon.

Alan’s wife, Anne (Virginia Morris), who used to be his therapist and has often bedded David, wants to ship the animals to other zoos.

Alan has different ideas, presumably to wipe out the memory of Grandpa’s dalliance with their daughter Sally (Geri Baker), who won’t have sex with her high school boyfriend Mick (David Cooley) except in the manner of insects.

On to Act II, which takes place on the island of Mauritius, and looks an awful lot like “Cloud Nine.”

It is pure John Cleese, including David’s eventual discovery of living, mating, propagating dodo birds. The production finds some identity in this act, which survives Unger’s deathly slow tempos by virtue of some performances that match Johnson’s writing.

William H. Bassett is masterfully and blissfully above everything that’s happening as the raj who is seeking spiritual fulfillment in every direction, and Gale Baker is equally stiff upper lip as his starchy wife.

Ramin Pirsaheli shines as an Indian hustler, along with Paula Ayotte as his Chinese Juliet, and Ray Rodgers as the African who knows where the dodos are literally buried.

“Cries” would work better replanted in its own soil but would still have more social outrage than Johnson’s string bag of a play can hold.

WHERE AND WHEN

What: “Cries From the Mammal House.”

Location: Limelight Playhouse, 10634 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood.

Hours: 8 p.m. Fridays & Saturdays. 7 p.m. Sundays. Ends Sept. 20.

Price: $12.

Call: (213) 466-1767.