The show’s book, brilliantly crafted by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart, went back to the plays of Plautus, who wowed ’em in 200 B.C. This is primal low comedy, with pratfalls, pratgags, guys in drag, screeching eunuchs, superbimbos who melt the starch from political correctness with Rob Marshall’s hip-dislocating choreography. Staged by Jerry Zaks, this cheerful vulgarity seems innocent in our age of foulmouthed comedy. Stephen Sondheim’s score hits its peak in the opening number, “Comedy Tonight,” a marvelous mini-show in itself. Mark Linn-Baker, Lewis J. Stadlen, Ernie Sabella and William Duell are expert comics, but Lane is no mere expert. A wacky Everyman, he puts you in touch with
