Single Mom, Bad Ex, Anxious Kids. (Yawn.)

Hard Bargain Players' latest production, "Hot 'n' Throbbing," looks at today's dysfunctional (or has it become so common that it's now considered functional?) family life.

It is difficult to watch because it forces an up-close-and-personal brush with how attraction, disguised as love, can turn into something truly ugly, and sometimes deadly.

It's also difficult because we're so familiar with so many of the clichés in Paula Vogel's script: the single mother, harried by trying to raise two children while striving for independence; the abusive ex-husband who's down on his luck; and their children, who suffer because of parental dysfunction. The O.J. Simpson case aside, we've seen so much of the plot on television in recent years that it can be difficult to bring something new to the mix, although playwright Vogel and director Michael J. Margelos try.

In this case, Charlene is a single mother who has just filed a restraining order against her abusive, alcoholic ex, Clyde. They have two teenage children, Leslie Ann and Calvin, who are in the midst of adolescent anxiety and preoccupation with all things sexual. Their obsession may or may not stem from the fact that their mother writes erotic literature to support them.

The other two characters, The Voice and Voice-Over, are Charlene's inner thoughts and intuition. They are onstage for the entire show, one in a sound booth and the other in a strip club, reacting to and urging on the action as it unfolds.

As Charlene, Sherry Santana turns in a good performance. Her character wrestles with feeling sorry for her ex, who is out of work and money, and her stand for her own independence.

Santana plays out each emotion well. She seems less believable as a frustrated mother who is fed up with her children and their behavior, but her emotions are on the mark when she's interacting with Clyde.

David Thomas owns the role of Clyde. He swaggers with the appropriate amount of bravado when necessary but is equally believable as he manipulates Charlene into feeling sorry for him. We can see the wheels turning as he plots his next move, but it is never overdone or overacted. As called for in the script, Thomas elicits disgust and sympathy right up to the moment he plays his final hand.

Brooke Howells plays Leslie Ann with the right mix of sauciness and big sister disgust for her younger brother. She's credible as a teen testing the boundaries of her relationship with her parents. Howells falls just short in a monologue discussing her fantasies; however, every other aspect of her performance is strong, including a difficult scene at the end of the show.

As the thoughts in Charlene's head, Trey Thomas and Tameka Cruz offer some insights into how Clyde can once again manipulate Charlene to do his bidding. The bulk of their lines are interjected in the action, written to be delivered on top of one another or to change a scene's direction. Some opening night timing issues meant Thomas and Cruz weren't quite as effective as they might have been; however, they help keep the show moving.

Greg Smith, who plays Calvin, is physically right for the role, but his performance lacked emotional depth. Smith often appeared to be ready to laugh during some of the more dramatic events unfolding onstage, which detracted from the intensity of the production. Ironically, the play does offer several laughs, but Smith cost this production a few of them.

Lighting designer April Weimer deserves credit for a job well done. In this outdoor theater with somewhat limited lighting options, she managed to offer three different lighting schemes onstage simultaneously: The Voice's sound booth at stage right, the main action at center stage, and in the strip club at stage left a totally different series of effects. The set design and construction are also well done, including a pole in the strip club that never budges despite a few of the characters putting it to use throughout the show.

Margelos had his hands full with a somewhat predictable script in a challenging venue. He pulls off a production that is, for the most part, worth seeing if you are not jaded by watching the same basic story line so many other times. Be aware that there is some offensive language, some nudity and adult subject matter.

"Hot 'n' Throbbing" will be performed at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Amphitheatre at Hard Bargain Farm, 2001 Bryan Point Rd., Accokeek. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students, seniors and Alice Ferguson Foundation members. For reservations, call 301-392-9901 or send an e-mail toreservations@hbplayers.org. For information, visithttp://www.hbplayers.org. Dress warmly for the outdoor venue.