If hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, what are we to fear from three women so insulted? Revenge, of course, in the form of a new musical version of The First Wives Club. Based on the novel by Olivia Goldsmith and the 1996 film starring Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler and Diane Keaton, the Old Globe Theatre’s latest Broadway hope is a musical version with a book by Rupert Holmes and songs by Motown greats Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland. Veteran opera and stage director Francesca Zambello helms the production.

These three college buddies – the painfully shy Annie (Karen Ziemba), Jewish mom Brenda (Barbara Walsh) and R&B star Elyse (Sheryl Lee Ralph) – meet at the funeral of the fourth, Cynthia (Victoria Matlock), who couldn’t take it anymore and jumped off a building.

After trying to convince themselves and each other of their “perfect” lives, they let down and admit that they’re all married to rats who are fooling around on the side. What to do? Why ... sing, of course, and dance a little, and get revenge in the form of punishing divorces.

If you saw the film, you’ve seen the show – the plots are that similar. The unanswered question about both is this: are the “problems” of three rich women worth two and a half hours of your time?

My answer is no, but that was definitely a minority opinion in the opening night crowd. This musical version adds unnecessary length and repetition, and fails even to fix the film’s goes-nowhere subplot involving the gay daughter.

Ziemba, Walsh and Ralph do as well as anyone could with these roles. But let’s face it, this is a one-trick pony with no surprises, and that doesn’t leave much room for innovation.

For my money, two smaller character roles are more riveting than the plotting of the wives. One is Dr. Leslie Rosen (Sara Chase), the shrink who both attempts to counsel Annie and is sleeping with her husband Aaron, and whose exaggeratedly erotic version of “Have Your Way With Me” nearly brings down the house. (Chase also plays the other two bimbettes.) The other is Sam Harris, trying a little too hard to be funny as fussy gay interior decorator Duane, but amusing later as upscale Italian designer Duarto, complete with phony accent and extravagant gestures.

H/D/H have contributed a serviceable score with a few memorable songs. My favorites are the poignant, almost operatic sextet “One Sweet Moment” and the rowdy “Payback’s a Bitch.”

I’d consider cutting “My Heart Wants to Try One More Time” at the end of act one that seems to go on forever. “Jump for Joy” seems to add little, but is reprised nonetheless, and “Morty’s Got It All,” a too-long old joke of a number in which Brenda’s husband Morty can’t get the commercial for his electronics store finished because bimbette Shelley (Chase) can’t get her single line straight.

Still, this has a fine cast dominated by Broadway veterans and a great design team: Peter J. Davison (set), Paul Tazewell (costumes) and Mark McCullogh (lighting). That it’s commercial fluff probably won’t impede its move to Broadway, but it’ll require considerable work first.

The First Wives Club has been extended through Sunday, Aug. 30, at the Old Globe Theatre. Shows Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 7 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m.; matinées Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. For tickets call 619-238-0043 or visit www.theoldglobe.org.