Is there no happiness to be found for lesbians in the world of love, passion, or even friendship?

Diversionary Theatre’s latest production, Brave Smiles…Another Lesbian Tragedy, written by the Five Lesbian Brothers (Maureen Angelos, Babs Davy, Dominique Dibbell, Peg Healey and Lisa Kron), lampoons the fact that every lesbian in film history has either died an untimely, ghastly death or suffered grave heartache and tragedy.

This collaborative troupe of writers (and performers) has pulled from sources far and wide (Mädchen in Uniform, The Killing of Sister George, The Children’s Hour) to develop an entertaining farce that entertains and draws a constant stream of laughter—and guffaws — from its audience.

Kirsten Brandt, artistic director of Sledgehammer, has deftly directed her five-woman acting crew to a fine-tuned and balanced production that could easily have gone over the top.

The five actors in this all-female cast portray lesbian icons we’ve to loved and despised through the years.

The play begins as the actors high kick past the open arches of the Tilue-Pussenheimer Academy (an orphanage) in their very appropriately pinstriped school attire. We are introduced to the orphans: Millicent (Allison Riley), Martha (Wendy Waddel), Damwell Maxwell (Melissa Fernandes), and Babe (Jeannine Marque). After the brief ceremony, Martha, a deaf mute, runs and hides in the cellar with others following after, while Millicent remains to strum her guitar and sing a sad lament for the dearly departed George: “Oh, a turtle dies and a girl cries…”

Miss Greta Phillips, the school’s most beloved instructor, enters with seductive inspiration on her mind and provokes a mild orgasmic rush from Millicent. Next there is sword-fighting instruction provided by Ludmilla Von Pussenheimer (Robin Christ) who plays the head mistress of the Academy with deadly, tough-love charm. Next, Thalia, an orphaned Jewish girl, is then presented to the new girls who quickly arrange her initiation into their private club. And so it goes on…

Laments and gibes are tossed about: “Boys are pigs, filthy and disgusting, never trust a man in a hat,” and many more. The girls embrace thoughts of their instructors, who doll out kisses of comfort, some a bit deep-throated, but all accepted readily by the orphans. They all hunger for any morsel of love they can find, even when it’s inappropriate. Dresses are lifted and breasts are fondled but the actions are balanced and it all seems “just about right.”

The audience enters a world of hair pie, the necklace of tears, and even the sound of a mooing girl. It’s pure farce. The musical notes punctuate the drama (from Sound Designer Paul Peterson) and highlight the absurdity with dramatic one-note chords, Pink Panther-like interludes, and cabaret-like accompaniment.

Melodramatic moments that spoof vintage movies (beating down the door, tripping and falling, and even miniature boats and planes) add to the sidesplitting shenanigans.

Even Nipper, the puppet dog, gets to strut his stuff.

Reminders of just where the play has arrived are posted with written placards, and David Lee Cuthbert’s set design of pure economy gets the cast anywhere they have to go.

Wildly hysterical moments include: an execution, a murder with a deadly book of poetry, the announcement of a malignant brain tumor and more.

Brandt has taken her cast from vaudeville through the transparent cinema of the first half of the last century, to humorous skits and back again. The timing, physicality, and the intensity of the entire troupe of actors are excellent.

By the time the final words of the play are announced, “Real life begins… now,” the audience is truly exhausted, from busting their guts laughing and having a gay ol’ time of it. Go; it’s a scream!

Brave Smiles plays thru Feb. 28 at Diversionary Theatre. Call for tickets at (619) 220-0097.