This partial review originally appeared in L.A. Theatre Review

by Tracey Paleo, Gia On The Move

Screwball comedy takes the stage at Open Fist Theatre in the west coast premiere of Early and Often written by Barbara Wallace and Thomas R. Wolfe.

Set in Chicago 1960, democrats, republicans and everyone else will stop at nothing to compete for votes, power and a political code of honor in this tumultuous, zany, murder-mystery filled with whodunits, real estate scams and plenty of illicit affairs all around.  It should have been hilarious and at times, is.

But Early and Often has difficulty finding its way through the gags, setups, and style as good guys do bad things to prevent the bad guys from having their share of the “goods” when suddenly there becomes a vacancy in the state assembly.

Unevenly written and directed, there is never-the-less, an interesting show in development.