Skip the dessert and head over the Butler Little Theatre for a delicious play by Ferenc Molnar.

"The Play's the Thing" opens this weekend and is quite a treat.

Two playwrights and their protégé composer overhear a compromising scenario between their leading lady and an aging actor. What they had planned as a surprise for her backfires, leaving the trio stunned in act one.

Act two finds Sandor Turai (Dennis Casey) trying to save his cohorts, his leading lady and more importantly his latest script from destruction. His partner, Manskey (Robert Meals), and their composer Albert Adam (Phil Ball) are fast asleep while the solution is found with the help of some champagne and a peach.

Casey plays the smug self assured playwright with great finesse. The dialogue is rich, and Casey is a master of perfect timing. His performance was delightful, especially in act three.

Ball played smitten to the hilt, equally well as he did the lover scorned, and then another change to relieved and smitten again. Ball had little dialogue but the audience was always aware as to what was going on with his character.

One of his best performances was creating an end to act two.

Meals played a good pessimistic, sardonic straight man to Casey. The duo's chemistry was obvious and enjoyable from the first line to the last.

Upon being found out, Ilona Szabo (Julia Eve Kramer) and Almady (Jerry Johnston) become pawns in Casey's game to bail them, his buddies and his production out of the hole the duo dug by being too friendly behind a wall too thin.

The first two scenes tend to move a bit slowly but it is worth the wait to the third scene where Johnston and Casey really get the opportunity to shine. Kramer as always adds beauty to the set and in this production — though her role is somewhat minor — she carries herself well.

Gary Collar, in a character actor role as the butler, got his share of laughs. Newcomer to the stage Mary Bowen also had a cameo as Mell the secretary and she did the best with it.

At times the performances are so over the top that it makes the show even more comical. Hopefully, it was intentional and what director Bob Dandoy had in mind.

Dandoy's cast interpreted the clever script in a commendable way. The show doesn't open or segue like the typical play but that is part of the charm and the fun.

It was enjoyable to see such talent assembled onto one stage.