Other articles by Kathleen Allen:

Young at art Grilling isn't just for meat; here's the how-to for vegetables There's no saving the world from Van Slyke's corny humor 'Jewtopia' outrageous, offensive and hilarious Winners from last week; this week, we're noshingTucson Restaurant Review : Pizzeria VivaceScordato's 3-month effort produces perfect pizza crust 'Rum & Coke' deserves an audience Last week's so-sweet winners; this week, it's your fave liquid Not your everyday goy meets girl love story

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Something's happened to David Orley.

The Gaslight Theatre regular used to step back and let Joe Cooper do all the stage hogging.

Not so at Wednesday night's performance of "The Two Amigos."

Orley grabbed centerstage and hammed it up so seriously, and so long, that not only were the other actors laughing, they started checking their imaginary watches wondering if he'd ever get back on track.

And the audience loved it: Orley's bow got the biggest applause.

Of course, it helped that the character he played was offish, with a waddle walk, a healthy potbelly and the silliest demeanor one can imagine.

He was a bad guy, of course. Only the Gaslight bad guys have waddle walks and healthy potbellies.

"Two Amigos," written and directed by mainstay Peter Van Slyke, follows the usual story line: bad guys (boo, please); good guys (yeah!); damsels in distress (oh, my hero!).

This particular story takes place in a Mexican town. Comandante Rafael Maximo (Armen Dirtadian) plays a greedy governor who taxes the people generously and then stingily keeps all the money for himself. Orley is the governor's aide.

Maximo's equally greedy girlfriend, Carmella (Betsy Kruse-Craig), stands around and looks good, and sings when it's called for (lots).

The good guys are sort of accidental heroes. Paco (Mike Yarema) and Reynaldo (Robert Shaw) are inept circus performers hired to entertain at the governor's swearing-in fiesta. But things get mixed up and they are taken for super-rescuers.

Cooper makes an appearance in this, but Orley was quick to assert his control over the out-of-the-script action, and so Cooper's usual shtick was pulled out from under him.

The play is full of music and thin plotting, and has enough laughs to keep the audience happy.

And the olio — well. Cooper did his Willie Nelson gig, and he spewed out lines such as "You know you're a redneck if you've ever been accused of lying through your tooth."

Now that's stealing the attention back.