Broadway verteran Millicent Martin as Mrs. Clarke

If you are in the mood for an old-style musical, smartly done, you should take in "Twice Upon a Time," the world premiere produced by the Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities. A farcical fantasia featuring music by Chris Walker, lyrics by Mary Stewart-David and book by Ray Cooney, "Time" is so memorably retro, you just might exit the theater humming a tune or two.

Of course, Cooney, who also directs, is the author of numerous British sex comedies, such as "Funny Money" and "Run for Your Wife." Now in his 70s, he is a master theatrical mechanic who knows how to craft a whirring entertainment machine. And if the works get a bit rusty in the second act, it's still in its early days. There's time to oil the cogs before the show moves to the West End and Broadway.

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