Directed by Miller James and produced by Susie and David Couch, The Drunkard, or Down with Demon Drink last Friday at Circle Bar B was hands-down the most fun at the theater this reviewer has had in a long time. Seriously.

It is a classic old-school melodrama, where the audience boos and hisses at the villain, cheers the hero, and choruses “awww” at the romantic moments. Audience participation seems to be one key to the show’s success — viewers feel connected to what’s happening onstage and are drawn in as part of the action.

The main reason this show is so enjoyable, however, is that the direction is deft — the title of this review doesn’t truly mean to imply that the quality of the show is accidental — and the actors are remarkable in their ability to tread the fine line between earnest over-the-top melodrama and acknowledgment of the gentle satire without self-consciousness.

Some standouts are worth mentioning. Sean Jackson, most recently seen in a brilliant performance as The Lecturer in Reefer Madness: The Musical and as Margaret Mead in Hair, is the seemingly simple-minded farmer boy who saves the day. Not only is his comic timing impeccable and his facial expressions priceless, but his mastery of the character’s thick Cockney accent was no small feat.

Grant McKee is the villain you love to hate, all flamboyant malevolence in a top hat and swirling black cape. His stage presence and movement style are perfect for such a role, and the audience’s good-natured boos seem to fuel his hilarious evilness.

Young Tessa Miller nearly stole the show, however, as the child of the titular drunkard. Miller has a precocious ability to grasp the multilayered opportunities for humor in such a show and to milk them for all they’re worth — and she got some of the biggest laughs.

Also notable were Amanda Terman as the wide-eyed and plucky wife and mother grappling with her husband’s descent into “the demon drink,” Lauren Parsons as William’s “poor demented sister,” Max Avila as the drunkard himself and Leslie Ann Story as the extroverted Miss Spindle.

Adding to the authenticity and enjoyment of the show was live piano accompaniment by Richard Weiss.

As a delightful bonus, after the intermission was the Olio, an interval of variety acts traditionally included in a melodrama. Suddenly we were transported from Victorian England to the swinging ‘70s, with tongue-in-cheek musical numbers by Pelvis (a brilliant cameo by David Couch), the Trillage People and too many more to mention, all hosted capably by Robert Ooley and Rodney Baker. Written, directed and choreographed by Gerry Hansen, this segment itself was truly worth the price of admission, and many in the audience remarked afterward how sore our sides were from laughing so hard.

The Drunkard runs for three more weekends at the tiny rustic theater, and with a delicious tri-tip dinner beforehand in the serene ranch-like setting amid the oaks, the evening feels like an escape to a simpler time while only a 30-minute drive up the coast. If you have even a passing interest in comedy, don’t miss this gem.

— Justine Sutton of Santa Barbara is a freelance writer and frequent Noozhawk reviewer.