A Review of "Clever Little Lies" at George Street Playhouse T Charles Erickson Bill Sr., played by Greg Mullavey, and his wife, Alice, played by Marlo Thomas, in "Clever Little Lies" at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick. Good comedies can benefit from bad vibes. That's certainly true for "Clever Little Lies," a show at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick that delivers a large share of laughs but comes most alive when its amiable characters turn unhappy. In the snappy opening scene, Bill Jr., whose wife recently delivered their first child, confides to his father that he is having an affair. Billy, as he is called, has fallen in starry-eyed love with his much-younger mistress - "It's like she has this window into my soul" - and his emotions lead him to alternately cry in confusion and rejoice in glee. With his confession comes a command: "You can't tell Mom any of this!" Good luck with that. Bill Sr. vows to keep a tight lip, but he's easy pickings for Alice, his wife, who senses that something is amiss and pries from her husband a rather flawed version of the story. In no time she has created a ruse to bring her son and daughter-in-law to her home, where she will attempt to save their marriage. "This is what parents do, they help their children," Alice tells Bill Sr. "That's why we have them, to help them." Minutes after the younger couple arrives, the four are immersed in a series of squabbles and misunderstandings, and soon a few buried secrets come to light. The plot is fairly standard, and the individual lines are not side-splitters. But taken together and served up by a first-rate cast, it all produces some splendid chemistry. Joe DiPietro's script is exceptionally actor-friendly, featuring lots of lively give-and-take among the characters, whose personalities are relatable and whose intentions are usually honest. Most interesting, though, are the occasional forays into their disappointments. To be sure, Mr. DiPietro, who is best known for the audience-pleasing musicals "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change" and "Memphis," has not developed a dark streak. But he has given his creations here at least a measure of depth. While Billy's description of cheerless married sex is a tirade you've heard from countless stand-up comedians, it nonetheless remains perceptive, as well as genuinely funny. A lament by Bill Sr. about the indignities of growing old is also both recognizable and effective; if it has been said before, that doesn't mean it's not worth hearing again, conveyed with welcome wit. Mr. DiPietro is exceedingly well served by his cast, directed by David Saint, the artistic director of George Street Playhouse, where the piece is making its world premiere. As Alice, Marlo Thomas effortlessly handles the script's dry humor and brings added feeling to a woman who could otherwise come off as merely manic. Her early rant about her job as a bookseller is an enjoyable burst of energy, and it contrasts nicely with a later revelation that turns serious and bittersweet. Ms. Thomas is expertly matched with Greg Mullavey as Bill Sr., whose timing is impressive in speech and in action. His smaller gestures - reaching for a glass of Scotch to douse his irritation, or trying and failing to keep his word to his son - are wonderfully wry. His first scene is the play's funniest, his last the finest. Jim Stanek, as Billy, and Kate Wetherhead, as his wife, Jane, are nearly as well paired, even in roles that can be quite underwritten. Though Billy and his marital problems are the catalyst for the plot, he and Jane are relegated to supporting players as the focus shifts to the older couple. It's that shift that leads "Clever Little Lies" into its best sections. Until then, this 85-minute play has supplied several long laughs, and that's never simple to do. But as Mr. DiPietro's script looks to explore a few trickier emotions - its poignant ending is particularly affecting - its melancholy moments lift this already likable show just a little bit higher. "Clever Little Lies," by Joe DiPietro, is at the George Street Playhouse, 9 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, through Dec. 22. Information: (732) 246-7717 or gsponline.org.