Noble Fool's 'Mid-Life' hits right notes

One thing about Noble Fool's "Mid-Life! The Crisis Musical," it's inclusive. Where baby boomer-centered revues like "Menopause the Musical" and "Hats!" focus on women coping with middle age, "Mid-Life!" includes men in the mix with very entertaining results.A mostly light-hearted look at issues affecting middle-agers -- Botox and ticking biological clocks; mammograms and prostate exams; adult children and aging parents -- the pleasantly predictable sendup delivers exactly what you'd expect. And exactly what the audience wants, judging by the enthusiastic response from the demographically appropriate crowd at Saturday's opening. The score by Bob and Jim Walton (who also wrote the book and lyrics) isn't particularly distinctive, consisting mostly of upbeat, mid-tempo tunes. But the cheeky, pun-filled lyrics are amusing. And the show, which unfolds on set designer Kevin Depinet's bright, well-manicured suburban paradise, benefits from Michael Weber's breezy direction and a cast with solid comedic chops.Thomas Shea stands out, setting the bar early on with a tour-de-force performance of "Turning Forty," about a man realizing he's become his father. He and Michael Accardo team up for a funny swivel chair pas de deux (choreographed by Rachel Rockwell) that occurs while the men await prostrate exams. John Vessels joins them for a gleefully over-the-top "Weekend Warriors," spoofing aging amateur athletes looking to recapture their grade school glory.Weber and his cast play the comedy broadly in a show whose highlights include a deliciously madcap "singing mammogram" which gets the Busby Berkeley treatment; a salute to AARP featuring Accardo and Jane Brewer (in a brassy, spirited turn) performing a soft shoe number with medical canes, and the nimbly staged "Classical Menopause," a polyphonic ditty about a couple dealing with "the change" and one of the show's highlights. Unfortunately, the show, which suffers from tacked-on platitudes and an abrupt ending, stumbles late in the second act with the inclusion of "The Long Goodbye." While touching, the ruefully comic song about middle-aged children watching their parents succumb to Alzheimer's feels out of place amid the levity. "Mid-Life! The Crisis Musical"3 stars out of fourLocation: Pheasant Run Resort Spa, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles Times: 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays; 5 and 8:30 p.m. Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 3; also 2 p.m. Sept. 27 and Oct. 11Running time: About two hours, including intermissionTickets: $27, $38 ($49, $60 with dinner)Box office: (630) 584-6342 or www.noblefool.comRating: For adults