‘Sketch This!’ Shows an Upside

“Sketch This!” at the L.A. Connection Comedy Theatre is a bill crammed full of slight skits that have rough edges, but the cast (Lew Adams, Joel Bryant, Amy Claire, Nicole Dunn, Dominic Daniel, Alaine Kashian, Josh Minnick, Hal Rudnick, Steve Prince and Justin Smith) and the writing show promise. The best moments are the hilarious dubbed movie segments written by Robert Bucholz, Kent Skov, Connie Cook, Julienne Dallara, Jeff Nimoy, Steve Pinto and Stephen Rollman.

Under Skov’s direction, the bill lacks a balanced momentum and rhythm. Rudnick and Bryant’s “Superpugg Jammy Jam” that opens and closes the show doesn’t quite make it as good parody or performance.

Yet this bill does have some funny moments. Daniel and Claire’s “Homark” is a hilarious infomercial advertising a special card company for pimps. Smith’s “Freshman” is a winning portrayal of a high school student haltingly singing about the angst of that year. Rudnick is a two-faced terror in “My New Dad,” playing a small boy whose innocent whinings become nasty threats every time his mother (Kashian) leaves him alone with her new boyfriend (Minnick).

The three videos feature flawless dubbing of black-and-white movie segments, including a cigar scene with the now predictable sexual reference.

* “Sketch This!,” L.A. Connection Comedy Theatre, 13442 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks. Fridays, 7:45 p.m. Ends July 28. $10. (818) 784-1868. Running time: 1 hour.