This staging by Will Act for Food lacks the sense of ease needed to make Alan Ayckbourn’s farce brightly entertaining. The situation–an afternoon tea party where unhappily married couples gather to comfort a friend after his fiancee’s death–is meant to be awkward, but the actors themselves appear uncomfortable: quick wit and physical antics elude most of them. Ironically, the most relaxed and charming performer is Kristen Williams as the party’s high-strung hostess. Scott Pasko as her oafish husband and Christopher Kaye as the blithely unaware “grieving” guest are occasionally entertaining too. Jenna Rabideaux’s staging nets a few laughs, but not as many as it should, and overall the pacing of this two-hour show is off. Through 7/1: Thu-Fri 8 PM, Sat 2:30 and 8 PM, Chicago Academy for the Arts, 1010 W. Chicago, 773-784-2740, $21 ($1 off with donation of nonperishable food item).