Campy spoofs of old movie genres have been around for decades, from a relatively prim example like Dames at Sea to the considerably more outre worlds of Psycho Beach Party and The Mystery of Irma Vep. Even if on tippy toes you can't reach these higher bars, you better well be stretching toward them. The creators of Devil Boys from Beyond may not have even been thinking in these terms, content enough to create a wispy frolic, but it's pretty late in the game for such uninspired satire.
Devil Boys from Beyond gained attention at the 2009 NY Fringe Fest, and now New Conservatory Theatre Center is presenting it as part of its Pride season. Supposedly a sendup of 1950s B-list sci-fi flicks, it doesn't exert much effort at actually taking potshots at this target, certainly not in the way that preceding genre spoofs poked at specifics with a clever wink. Even within a plot that slips and slides all over the place, the show's notion of humor often seems satisfied with men in drag hurling insults at one another.
The plot crafted by Buddy Thomas, Kenneth Elliot, and Drew Fornarola bears occasional resemblances to Invasion of the Body Snatchers, as aliens swap out middle-aged rednecks with hunky replacements to the delight of their blowsy wives. But it takes far too long to arrive at this bit of fun, as earlier scenes focus on arguments between an ambitious female reporter (a forceful, hard-edged Nathaniel Marken), her alcoholic ex-husband (a wan Kai Brothers), and the brassy, red-baiting gossip columnist (a shrewish Drew Todd) who wants to scoop her rival on the alien story. As an old-school newspaper editor, A. J. Davenport gets some of the best laughs with the character's tabloid exuberance.
When the action moves to Lizard Lick, Fla., director F. Allen Sawyer's snappy-enough production warms up with something of a Greater Tuna vibe. Chris Maltby steadily mines humor as a menopausal harridan who comes to like the idea of the Plutonian invasion, envisioning herself as a galactic high priestess. As her meeker sidekick, Jennifer S. McGeorge is also helpful in the humor department. Finally, Gabe Lopez and Brandon Richard fulfill their duties as the buff and briefly clad aliens. Devil Boys is a show that requires considerable goodwill from the audience, and a dedication to finding pleasures where you can.
Devil Boys from Beyond will run at New Conservatory Theatre Center through June 28. Tickets are $25-$45. Call 861-8972 or go to nctcsf.org.