'Lips Together, Teeth Apart' review: Plot together, cast apart

When Terrence McNally's serious comedy had its memorable premiere Off-Broadway in 1991, the characters -- two straight married couples on a weekend in gay Fire Island -- were indelibly portrayed by Nathan Lane, Christine Baranski, Swoosie Kurtz and Anthony Heald.

"Lips Together, Teeth Apart" is still smart, witty and tough and, 23 years later, it holds up well as a time capsule of parallel universes in the depths of the AIDS horror. Peter DuBois directs the first major revival with a deft balance of bigotry and melancholy compassion.

Alexander Dodge's enviable beach-house set surrounds the pool these people think will give them AIDS.

Michael Chernus has a ferocious sense of conflicting humor as the husband of the woman (the oddly subdued American Ferrera) whose dead brother left her the house, while Austin Lysy has a believable cruel darkness as the husband of a grating community-theater devotee (Tracee Chimo over-channeling Patti LuPone).

But it is hard to believe any of these people are married to any of these people, which means the original cast remains indelible.

WHAT "Lips Together, Teeth Apart"

WHERE Second Stage Theatre, 305 W. 43rd St.

SEE PHOTOS48 celebrities who've had Broadway roles

INFO $79; 212-246-4422; 2st.com

BOTTOM LINE Still-strong play, imperfectly cast.