Its latest offering fits right into that reputation. The show Psychopathia Sexualis is a comedy that is not only accessible because of its surface level dialogue and storyline, but it also has clever cultural puns and, dare I say, highbrow humor that would fit right into the repertoire of the conversations of National Public Radio or Public Broadcasting Service listeners. 

It is a good show to see if you want to test your intelligence and cultural literacy. You pass if you find yourself laughing or at least smirking when others in the audience remain silent.

 

The play involves the struggles of a particularly distraught artist as he nears his wedding day. Arthur (played by Ricky Coates) is set to marry a Texas cowgirl from a rich oil family but must solve a problem he has been struggling with for a few years. He can’t seem to get himself “aroused” without having his father’s argyle socks within reach. His therapist (Russ Holm) brands him a fetishist and vows to cure him at all costs.  

 

As the calendar ticks away the days, Arthur begins to panic as six years of therapy haven’t seemed to done the job. So his therapist steals the socks to force him to go cold turkey without them. This makes him come unglued, so he recruits his friend, a former financial advisor turned psychology buff, to seek the services of the therapist as a way to get the socks back. 

 

Toss in the story twist about his would-be wife finding out about his little personality quirk and the show is a riot on its surface. What helps this play rise above the standard comedy is its clever script. At the time of panic when the cowboy booted bride (Anne Kennedy) finds out about her fiancé’s personality flaw, she exclaims, “I might as well move to Texarkana and become a Baptist.”

That’s just good writing that is a throwaway line for those not so culturally enlightened, but it’s a gem for those in the know. 

The nuances found in the show like that are numerous. The set design, courtesy of Jill Carter, is simple and effective in its use of such nuances. Psychological words drawn on the wall in chalk fade into the background when the setting is an apartment but seem to jump out when the set serves as the therapist’s office. 

 

Another nuance that adds character flavor are the vocal treatments the actors give themselves for their roles. Holm has a sharp gravelly voice straight from the streets of Brooklyn while Ellie (Casi Wilkerson) has a more flighty twang from the Manhattan environs. 

 

All in all, the show is well worth a look and would make for a great dinner and a show combo that would likely turn into lively discussions over a bottle of wine at Ramblin Jack’s down the street. It is a show about discovering what is important and what should be left alone. It’s a show about relationships and about curing the ills of the world.

[Harlequin Productions, Psychopathia Sexualis, through Sept. 13, 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, $12-$33, State Theater, 202 E. Fourth Ave., Olympia, 360.786.0151, www.harlequinproductions.org]

Also on stage

• My Fair Lady is ending its run at the Encore! Theater. This classic musical about the battle between nature and nurture is presented on the always entertaining open-air stage at Gig Harbor. The play deals with the transformation of Eliza Doolittle at the hands of Professor Harry Higgins, who takes her under his wing in an effort to transform her into a lady. Bring a picnic dinner, beach chairs and blankets to watch this fun show with some of the best music the genre has to offer. 

[Impact Church International, My Fair Lady, through Aug. 31, 7 p.m. Thursday-Sunday, $6-$15, 4819 Hunt St., Gig Harbor, 253.858.2282, www. encoretheater.org]

• Shrek: the Musical at the Fifth Avenue Theatre is another option for your theater dollar. This Broadway-bound show is exactly what you would expect. It has the usual line of characters but a new story and original music. 

[Fifth Avenue Theatre, through Sept. 21, downtown Seattle, www.5thavenue.org or www.shrekthemusical.com]