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For a bit of nonsense that can easily offend the gentlest of sensibilities, "Greater Tuna," presented by Palo Alto Players, comes to the stage with a fleshed out view of smalltown bigotry and intolerance. Though absolutely tongue-in-cheek, nothing and no one is taken seriously, there is fodder for a folderol feast.

"Greater Tuna," written by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard, is what might be happening in Tuna, the third smallest town in Texas. The stage is filled with local yokels, rednecks, and bigots, the take-off is from radio station OKKK. The centerpiece is the duo of Bill Olson and Derek McCaw who breathe life into the dizzying cast of characters. Tuna is a place where liberals are suspect, the KKK openly advertises events on the radio, and the citizenry gets down and dirty with one another. Tuna is the kind of place where an essay titled, "Human Rights, Why Bother" is applauded, and the book "Roots" should be removed from the local library since it only shows one side of the slavery question. As I said, there is something to offend most everyone.

Directed by Bill Olson, the show works well (aside from content) because of the breezy and easy-flowing efforts of the entire cast. That cast of two, Olson and McCaw, have timing and pace down. They quick-change between characters without a hiccup. They take to either gender roles quite naturally. The characters constantly explode with narrow-minded drivel that appears an accurate appraisal of those who

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would be narrow-minded. Understand, they're not creating caricatures, but fleshed-out folk we might care about. Didi's gun store, the used weapons emporium, says if her weapons don't kill, "they're immortal." Petey Fisk, head of the humane society, tries to place every wayward stray with anyone who walks near, much to the distraction of the townsfolk.

"Greater Tuna," funny, tongue-in-cheek, loony, and irreverent, won't be for everyone, but it can offer a getaway from the humdrum just for the fun of it. "Greater Tuna" plays at the Palo Alto Players through Nov. 23. The Lucie Stern Theater is located at 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. For box office information and reservations call (650) 329-0891.

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W. Fred Crow is a local music director and frequent reviewer of theater and opera. Contact him at

wfredcrow@yahoo.com.