Combine a middle-aged man and his young second wife (still a virgin after 11 months), his mistress, her lover and his wife, and you have all that's necessary for a lively farce.

Add music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and you have "A Little Night Music," the sophisticated 1973 musical that won a clutch of Tony awards and features his best-known song, "Send In The Clowns."

So it's disappointing to report that much of Manoa Valley Theatre's current revival, directed by John Rampage, is flat-footed and deadly dull. The production lacks style and lift, lyrics and dialogue are often garbled, and the set, with too-shadowy lighting, is icy cold.

Even Lorena Jones' elegant 1930s costumes aren't the right fit for a story set at the end of the 19th century.

Based on the Ingmar Bergman film "Smiles of a Summer Night," the central characters of Fredrik (Laurence Paxton) and Desiree (Stefanie Smart) are surrounded by moonstruck supporting characters that seem intent on dysfunction. Fredrik's son (Brent Yoshikami) is hopelessly in love with his new stepmother (Katie Beth Hicks). Desiree's married lover (Doug Scheer) splits his time between his mistress and his wife (Zenia Moura) with military precision.

Even Fredrik and Desiree foolishly give in to remembered passion and rekindle a long dormant flame under the noses of their current partners.

But it's Paxton and Smart who boost the play out of its Act One doldrums. With an assist from Scheer, they act out an elaborate charade of a love triangle gone abysmally sour, but in which none of the players intends to lose face.

It's Paxton and Smart again who add depth to the play's finale, when their characters come to a late understanding of their ridiculous behavior — "I thought that you'd want what I want — sorry, my dear."

Smart delivers "Send In The Clowns" with exaggerated emotion and a baritone register — surprisingly playing against expected style. With excellent dramatic effect, that choice squarely forces us to confront the character and doesn't gloss over the moment.

Sondheim so beautifully captures Desiree's honest insight with "Clowns," that we tend to forget that the bulk of the story is based on characters behaving absurdly and — in this production — without enlivening expression.

The five-member chorus that frequently appears to comment on the action is intrusive and supporting roles happen within unconnected character bubbles.

Although much of the production fails to match the high point hit by its central characters, there are notable moments.

Ahnya Chang delivers "The Miller's Son" as a successful set piece that celebrates the joy of being alive. Betty Burdick and Katherine Clifton as the old woman and young girl echo that sentiment in the final scenes.

Lina Jeong Do conducts a small chamber orchestra that fills out the waltz melodies and gives substance to the operatic notes in the lyrics, using music to capture the tender style missed by the performances.