The title of Theresa Rebeck's play refers to an awful sitcom about grown-up kids attempting to move back in with their parents. And we do see a few episodes of the show. But the emphasis is on what goes on behind the scenes, as highly educated former writing instructor Belinda (Tracey Rooney) attempts to forge a place for herself in the testosterone-saturated atmosphere of the writers' room. Producer Ed (Greg Albanese) is a power-hungry bully, and boorish director Bill (Joe Ochman) has a penchant for the nastier sort of sexual harassment. Go-along-to-get-along writer Steve (David Garry) just wants to preserve the status quo, and the only other female writer, Sally (Jacquelyn Riggs), is not keen to have another woman on the premises. Everybody agrees that Belinda is a talented, intelligent writer, but her attempts to raise the quality of the show arouse resentment from everybody except fellow writer Ren (Tripp Pickell), who's paying court to her, and office assistant — i.e. coffee fetcher — Clara (Charlene Lovings), who also suffers from the hostile atmosphere. Rebeck's comedy is slow on the takeoff, but as it gains momentum, it scores solid satiric points about the internecine warfare, backstabbing, and treachery that can be unleashed by a high-pressure atmosphere and the sly digs that proliferate. When producer Ed wants to put the kibosh on the growing relationship between Ren and Belinda, he slyly tells Ren, "I just don't see how you can sleep with a woman who's a better writer than you are." And Rebeck makes shrewd observations about the necessity many feel to believe in the quality of their work and the talent of their superiors, despite evidence to the contrary. Director Matt Kirkwood keeps the many short scenes moving briskly along, on a clever picture-book set by Elizabeth Sampson and Rich Gaarde. Rooney makes a perkily appealing Belinda, and Pickell offers a persuasive, low-keyed charm as Ren. Albanese can muster frightening rage as control freak Ed, Ochman is appropriately sleazy as the vulgar director, and Riggs suggests ample ambiguity in the friend-rival-enemy Sally.
Presented by Theatre Neo at the Secret Rose Theatre, 11246 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood. Oct. 10-Nov. 22. Fri.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. (323) 769-5858. www.theatreneo.com. Reviewed by Neal Weaver