If the truth be told, my wife and I appeared onstage in The Theater at Monmouth’s production of “The Liar,” a wild evening of comic mayhem. Mind you, we had no idea that this would happen as we settled into our seats before curtain time. It just goes to show that anything can happen in this outrageous comic farce.

“The Liar” was written by Carlo Goldoni in 1750, and this production was adapted by David Greenham and Bill Van Horn for The Theater at Monmouth. The production is in the grand style of a Molire work, complete with unrequited love, secret trysts, mistaken identities and, in this case, a string of outright lies.

The liar of the title is one Lelio (Tommy Schoffler), a young Venetian of good family who returns home after a long absence and is immediately embroiled in a series of hilarious escapades along with his servant, Arlecchino (Dustin Tucker). Lelio’s problem is that he’s unable to speak the truth when a whopping lie suits his purposes better – and the more he complicates his situation, the more outlandish his fibs become.

Before long he has thrown the budding romances of two lovely young sisters, Rosaura (Jessica Drizd) and Beatrice (Kathryn Cleveland), into a turmoil, discredited their rightful suitors, Florindo (Andrew Towler) and Ottavio (Chuck Novatka), deceived his own befuddled father, Pantalone Bisgnosi, (Daniel Noel), and the young sisters’ father, Dr. Balonzoni (Gerald Browning), brought an unexpected surprise to servant Columbina (Jeri Pitcher) and created such a tangle of misunderstandings that it appears doubtful whether things can ever be set straight.

Antics and improv

The original script itself would have made for a great evening of comedy. But the Monmouth crew takes liberties to infuse the show with modern-day references, corny sight gags, improvisational comedy and even audience participation. That’s how two unsuspecting audience members – my wife and I – ended up dining at a table onstage early in the second act and becoming part of the antics produced by Scoochio (Dennis A. Price) and Brighella (Janis Stevens), the Venetian innkeepers. We weren’t the only ones taken by surprise: At least a half-dozen other audience members found themselves brought into the lines and scenes of the show. It’s a great gimmick that provides extra fun.

It can best be said that “The Liar” is a combination of classic farce, Saturday morning cartoons, and “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” with the cast taking every opportunity to bring spontaneous, good-natured fun to new heights.

And what a cast it is! There are lots of new faces appearing at Monmouth for the first time, as well as some returning veterans. Of particular note, you’ll find that Schoffler is a refreshing youngster as the nonstop liar of the show and Tucker, in his second season at Monmouth, is full of comic genius and impeccable timing. Drizd and Cleveland provide beauty and style as the love-starved sisters, while Novatka and Towler provide very different characters in pursuing their true loves.

Original music

Chris Powers as a street musician strummed some great original tunes produced in collaboration with Paul F. Perry. Price and Stevens – admittedly among my favorite performers at Monmouth – are great in driving the fun and frolic of the evening.

Director David Greenham has put together an awesome evening of entertainment. No doubt every performance will be a bit different, so seeing it multiple times could be a summer theater treat.

Dan Marois is an actor and producer with Maine Street Entertainment and Mystery for Hire. He can be reached at [email protected].