Noah Johnson Daily Press Members of Players de Noc rehearse a scene from It Runs in the Family. Remaining performances are December 12, 13, and 14 and tickets are available at playersdenoc.org or at the box office at the William Bonifas Fine Arts Center in Escanaba. From left to right are Jenny Heller (Jane Tate), Brian Tourangeau (Dr. David Mortimore) and Dale Van Drese (Dr. Hubert Bonney).

Forget the frantic shopping and Christmas cookies for an evening! If you’re looking for a belly-aching good time this holiday season, I’ve got a prescription for you: go see Player’s de Noc’s production of Ray Cooney’s ‘It Runs in the Family.’ This British farce, expertly directed by Georgia Wilder Peitsch, is a whirlwind of mistaken identities, hilarious misunderstandings, and enough physical comedy to cure what ails you.

The plot revolves around the hapless Dr. David Mortimer, played with perfectly hilarious anguish and torment by Brian Tourangeau. As he prepares for a prestigious lecture, his ex-mistress from 18 years and 9 months ago, the disarmingly dedicated Jane Tate (wonderfully depicted by Jenny Heller), arrives at St. Andrew’s Hospital with their teenage son, Leslie (Abraham Wessel bringing extra angst and outrageousness). This revelation throws Mortimer’s carefully planned life into disarray. He enlists the help of his discombobulated, yet earnest friend, Dr. Hubert Bonney, played with great comedic effect by Dale VanDrese, to help him sort out the mess before his wife and boss find out. The ensuing chaos is a masterclass in comedic timing and physicality, with a cast of colorful characters bringing the stage to life.

Where “It Runs in the Family” truly shines is in the verbal play. Cooney’s script is a laugh-a-minute machine, filled with witty one-liners and constant interruptions. The ensemble cast delivers these lines impeccably, creating an infectious sense of merriment that permeates the entire theater. Cindy A. Bender injects an extra shot of hilarity as the stern-yet-bewildered Matron, and Thomas Kluka’s bright-eyed and enthusiastic Dr. Mike Connolly adds levity to the insanity. The rest of the cast, including Michelle Tackman’s loveably clueless Rosemary Mortimer, Jim Soderberg’s curmudgeonly and uptight Dr. Willoughby Drake, Pete Dzanbozoff’s elderly (but delightfully spry) patient Bill, Michelle DeSimone’s perplexed Sister, put-upon Police Sergeant Mike Peitsch, and Paulette Pepin as Bonney’s judgmental mother, all contribute to the comedic tapestry with spot-on performances.

The set design by Jim Peltier is a testament to the production’s commitment to physical comedy. The hospital ward’s sterile atmosphere is transformed into a stage for slapstick humor with non-stop revolving doors, a prominent window, and other surprising props. The set dressing itself is a delightful paradox: the sterile perfection of a hospital environment punctuated by a few festive holiday decorations, a subtle reminder of the approaching holiday season. The fun, upbeat music playing through the speakers adds to the lighthearted atmosphere, and the rest of the production elements from costuming, hair & make-up, lighting, and sound design all work in perfect harmony amidst the chaos onstage, in part due to production manager Lynn Soderberg and the rest of the wonderful crew.

While a hospital might be the last place you want to spend the holidays, spending time with the characters in “It Runs in the Family” is a guaranteed dose of laughter. This side-splitting production is a perfect antidote to holiday stress, and a hilarious reminder that sometimes, the best medicine is a good dose of farce. Don’t miss your chance to catch this uproarious show – remaining performances are December 12, 13, and 14 at 7:30 p.m., and tickets are available at playersdenoc.org or at the box office at the William Bonifas Fine Arts Center in Escanaba.