If the recent news of ecological catastrophe in the Gulf, or (closer to home) vandalism and hate crimes in Our Fair City have got you feeling a little down, take my advice: Give N.C. Stage a buzz and reserve a ticket for What the Butler Saw, the near-perfect farce by British playwright Joe Orton currently running at the little theatre on Stage Lane.

The play is good entertainment, full of comic quirks and flights of fancy, and yet it also feels intelligent and profound. If that profundity turns out to be less real than imagined, well, you can’t expect to have your lobster bisque and eat it too.

The two leads have teamed before, and are well-known and much-appreciated as a light-comic duo. In this play, they also explore dark recesses that may surprise those familiar with their more farcical romps.

From the Immediate Theatre Project and N.C. Stage: This inventive adaptation of the classic tale earns its place as an anticipated local holiday tradition.

A daring and successful start to N.C. Stage’s 8th season.

Subject matter touched upon, besides computer dating, includes tattoos, piercings, bondage, cutting, bathroom sex, stalking, restraining orders, antidepressants, suicide hotlines — oh, and love everlasting.

Crazy Bag at N.C. Stage: There was laughter, there were tears, there was a standing ovation. It was clear that the material itself and its presentation resonated very strongly with everyone. Well, almost everyone.

You will rarely see a better contemporary play, and you’re unlikely to see stronger performances, surer direction or a design scheme more harmonious with an unusual work’s demands.