HARRISON – When Lynne Fontanne was asked whether she had ever wanted to divorce Alfred Lunt, she replied: ”Divorce, no. Murder, yes!” The zany ”Murder at the Howard Johnson’s,” to be presented Aug. 9-10, at Deertrees Theater, starts out as a variation of that well-known riposte. In the first act, a husband, given the choice between divorce and death, opts for the latter as his wife and her lover tie him up and prepare to drown him in the motel bathtub.

A wacky love story, “Murder” revolves around a love triangle involving a dentist (and self-appointed dashing hero), a middle-aged femme fatale and a husband who is a blundering used car salesman. It is comic frenzy rooted in real despair.

The comedy opens with ditzy wife Arlene Miller and her lover buffoon Mitch Lovell, her dentist, concocting a scheme to lure her unsuspecting husband, Paul, to the motel room so they can murder him – and make it look like suicide, leaving Arlene free to marry Mitch.

Lacking a planned method, the lovers dream up and quickly discard some ridiculous ideas – and are caught short when Paul innocently answers his wife’s summons and finds out he is to die. He objects. A lot.

Act II takes place in the same motel room six months later – only this time, it’s Paul and Arlene plotting Mitch’s demise. Seems Arlene caught Mitch in a compromising position with his dental assistant. Now, she wants her revenge, and Paul is only too happy to lend a hand.

The final act finds Mitch and Paul in cahoots and who else but Arlene on the receiving end of their bizarre machinations.

Directed by Terrence Walsh and staring Terri Eoff, Jeff LaMare and Tom Schwams, “Murder at Howard Johnson’s” will be presented at 8 p.m. both days. Tickets are $20, $10 for students. They are available from the box office at 583-6747, online at www.deertrees- theatre.org, or at the Cool Moose in Bridgton, Books N Things in Bethel, the Country Sleigh in Naples, and the Fare Share Coop in Norway.