The Lying Kind at Third Rail

I'm back in Portland for the holidays, and the first thing I wanted to do was go to the theatre!
On Thursday night a group of friends and I went to the World Trade Center to see Third Rail Repertory Theatre's winter production. I don't believe anything makes this Anothy Neilson play, The Lying Kind, a holiday show except that is takes place on Christmas Eve. I can't say that the story of two police officers attempting and failing to tell an elderly couple that their thirty-four year old daughter was killed in a car accident on the way home for Christmas is what I would call the stuff of farce, but to my surprise, the show was, in fact, very funny. I was particularly fond of Richard Mathews work as Balthazar. Although, Michael O'Connell and Amy Palomino created my favorite slapstick comedic moment in the show. It was a surprisingly fun evening considering the subject matter.