THEATER REVIEW:

Sooner or later, just about every community theater will get around to taking a crack at “Arsenic and Old Lace,� that whiskered black comedy from the pre-World War II era with its collection of kooky characters where insanity runs in the family — indeed, as one character observes, it practically gallops.

Even an imperfect version, such as the one holding forth at the Huntington Beach Playhouse, has enough golden moments to provide enjoyment, even after nearly seven decades have passed.

This production, directed by Larry Blake, is enriched by some marvelous individual moments, though its ensemble — especially the long arms of the law — often comes up short. Belly laughs are few and far between but there are plenty of chuckles in playwright Joseph Kesselring’s vintage script.

Set in 1941, just before Pearl Harbor, “Arsenic� focuses on a pair of maiden aunts who delight in sending lonely old gentlemen off to their eternal reward, with the help of their elderberry wine laced with arsenic, strychnine and “just a pinch of cyanide.�

Their body count now numbers an even dozen, buried in the cellar’s “Panama Canal� by a goofy nephew who thinks he’s Teddy Roosevelt.

Into this already complicated arrangement comes another nephew, drama critic Mortimer, and his evil brother Jonathan — accompanied by a tippling plastic surgeon, Dr. Einstein — whose nefarious plans must be foiled by the inept Brooklyn police force, one member of which fashions himself a playwright.

In the Huntington Beach production, a few memorable performances emerge — primarily from Teri Ciranna as the flighty, giggling Aunt Abby and Rusty Vance as the blustery bull-moose Teddy. These two go the whole nine yards with Kesselring’s dusty yet still laugh-inducing script.

Eldon Callaway renders a strong account of the frustrated Mortimer, while Susan Huckle excels as his always-a-step-behind girlfriend, Elaine. Bettie Muellenberg is fine as the more down-to-earth auntie, Martha.

Personifying pure menace is Tony Grande as the gravely voiced, murderous brother, Jonathan, while Robert Fetes boozes and giggles his way through a hilarious turn as Einstein. Stacy Holmes is properly officious doing double duty as the local cleric and the proprietor of a funny farm.

Where the show bogs down is in the performances of the four actors playing Brooklyn cops — Charles Snook, Ivar Vasco, Rick Hardgrove and Paul Arnold. Hardgrove never really releases his character’s pent-up energy, while Arnold, as the lieutenant, allows his sense of command to slip away.

Set designer Andrew Otero’s antique-looking backdrop blends perfectly with the onstage insanity, as do his period costumes (especially the gowns for the aunties). The three-act play has been condensed to two acts by director Blake, who breaks the action at a most unwieldy moment.

“Arsenic and Old Lace� tends to show its considerable age, yet retains the potential for high entertainment when peopled with actors such as the Huntington Beach Playhouse offers in key roles. It’s all in murderous fun.IF YOU GO

WHAT: “Arsenic and Old Lace�

WHO: Huntington Beach Playhouse

WHERE: Library Theater, 7111 Talbert Ave., Huntington Beach

WHEN: 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 3 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays through March 20

COST: $18 to $20

CALL: (714) 375-0696

TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Independent.