The Lone Star Love Potion

The Lone Star Love Potion, or Tempest in a “D” Cup, is the fourth bedroom farce by Michael Parker to be, er, mounted by the Woodland Opera House. Those who’ve seen the previous three know what to expect.The set: designed for chaos, with eight doors and a hallway, along with an expansive double bed (with space to hide underneath) and a sturdy couch for seduction.

The situation: A wealthy, eccentric Texan has died, leaving behind a huge ranch and a mysterious love potion. Seven people gather for the reading of the will: a cool butler, a klutzy maid, a cowgirl, a middle-aged spinster/birdwatcher, a lawyer, and an avaricious niece and her perpetually horny husband.

The story: A downpour conveniently floods the creek, leaving no exit and wet clothes. Soon, half the cast is in bathrobes or underwear. The characters secretly test the love potion—just to see if it really works, ’natch. Soon, there are multiple embraces and rendezvous, always interrupted, with synchronized exits and entrances through all those doors.

It’s not high-class material, and it’s often predictable. In addition to comic lechery, Parker milks a kick-in-the-groin routine over several scenes; there’s also a gag involving an older gent who needs to visit the restroom. But director Jeff Kean and his cast, particularly veterans Micail Buse and Jessica Stein, get the routine and the laughs rolling right along in the second half. The Lone Star Love Potion is not for those seeking anything resembling inspiration from the muse. But it is acceptable and sometimes quite funny as a mindless, mid- to lowbrow summer romp by a community theater company.