Clair (played by Ginny Freese) shows concern over Ernie’s (played by Nick Demetriades) injured fingers in LTM’s production of Neil Simon’s Rumors. Photo by Joyce Hodgson

Neil Simon’s “Rumors” farcical fun at LTM

Three Stars

(Four stars is excellent, three is good, two is fair, and one is poor)

Location: Cheney Hall, 177 Hartford Road, Manchester

Production: Written by Neil Simon. Directed by Sara Logan. Sound design by Tom Goodin. Set design by Fred T. Blish. Lighting design by Lee Hammitt. Costume design by Marge Patefield.

Running time: 2 hours, plus one intermission

Show Times: Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. Sundays at 2 p.m., and through Mar. 13.

Tickets: $17 - $24. Call the box office at 860-647-9824, or visit their website at www.cheneyhall.org

Actor …. Character

Debi Freund … Chris Gorman

Sal Uccello … Ken Gorman

Virginia Freese … Claire Ganz

Christopher Berrien … Lenny Ganz

Nick Demetriades … Ernie Cusack

Jane H. Maulucci … Cookie Cusack

Jim Power … Glenn Cooper

Latoya Williams … Cassie Cooper

Dave Walton … Officer Welch

Diane AmEnde … Officer Pudney

MANCHESTER- There’s nothing like a farce where silly adults argue about silly things in “Rumors” written by Neil Simon and playing at the Little Theatre of Manchester through Sunday.

A group of well-to-do New Yorkers meet at the deputy mayor of New York, Charlie, and his wife Myra’s home to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary. But, all is not well in paradise, when the first guests to arrive hear a gunshot and find their host bleeding in the earlobe, and the hostess along with all the domestic help are no where to be found.

Ken and Chris Gorman are the first to arrive and open the action running about trying to make sense of it all. Sal Uccello and LTM regular Debi Freund play the perplexed and frantic couple.

Others filter into the party, including Virginia Freese as the sarcastic Claire Ganz and her whip-lashed husband Lenny played by Christopher Berrien, the kookie Cookie Cusack (Jane H. Maulucci) and her therapist husband Ernie played by Nick Demetriades, and political candidate Glenn Cooper, played with energy by Jim Power along with his acerbic crystal-worshipping wife Cassie, played with venom by Latoya Williams.

The show is set in the era before cell phones in the 1980s, which adds an air of nostalgia to the proceedings. It was back in the time when only the very wealthy had car phones.

The rapid-fire dialog requires the cast to be in top form, and thankfully they are, delivering complex and smart lines with precision, speed, and accuracy. They deliver the lines so fast, though, that at times they don’t leave room for the audience’s reaction, and lines were lost because they couldn’t be heard over the laughter.

While all these actors form a terrific ensemble cast, Dave Walton and Diane AmEnde steal the show as police officers Welch and Pudney, who take full advantage of their physical differences that must be seen to be fully appreciated.

Designed by the late and beloved Fred T. Blish, the single set of the interior of Charlie and Myra’s home is gorgeous, with a solid two-level staircase plus balcony that is well utilized, with confident direction from Sara Logan.

If you are looking for a fun night of farcical silliness, be sure to see “Rumors.”