Shelly Berman’s the Reason to See ‘Love’

Shelly Berman is the rare stand-up comic who, like Robin Williams, has graduated from club monologues to character actor. His craftsmanship is vividly on point at the Court Theatre in “Love, Dreams & Lost Uncles,” an otherwise opaque sitcom.

Berman portrays an old world schatchen, a traditional matchmaker hired by a good boy to find the perfect Miss Jewish American Princess. Berman’s pauses speak volumes, but playwright Skip Usen regrettably keeps the matchmaker off-stage for most of the comedy. A Neil Simon would quickly seize upon his story’s most magnetic character and place him center stage. But Usen, obviously, is no Neil Simon.

* “Love, Dreams & Lost Uncles,” Court Theatre, 722 N. La Cienega, West Hollywood, Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m., Sundays, 2 & 7 p.m. Ends July 25. $20. (213) 660-8587. Running time: 2 hours.