Say the name Neil Simon and people automatically start to smile. The prolific, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright is noted for his witty lines and funny situations.

But Simon is not all comedy, as was brought to mind forcefully with another look at one of his plays "Brighton Beach Memoirs."

The comedy is genuine, but beneath the funny lines lies a drama that probes the conflicts of family life. The play deals with sibling rivalries, parent-child relationships, and the fears of poverty, unemployment and war.

In the hands of director C. Tim Quinn and an extremely talented Fresno City College cast, the comedy was hilarious and the drama was riveting, the perfect balance for a Simon Play.

Tom Gaffney is a superb Eugene, struggling to grow up in a family that doesn't have much time to devote to adolescent problems. He is every inch the gawky, gangly teen-ager who never just walks - he bounces, he jumps, he runs, he skips, he gambols.

Eugene's primary concerns are trying to decide on a career - whether to become a writer or a baseball player with the New York Yankees. His other major interest is his 16-year-old cousin, Nora, and his fascination with her rather sudden physical development

In one of the funniest scenes in the production, Eugene gets the inside scoop on the facts of life and his own sexual development from his older brother, Stanley, played convincingly by Eric Bailey.

Maureen Hasty as Eugene's mother, kate, and Christien Sweeney as Blanche Morton, Kate's widowed sister are excellent. Hasty is the perfect Jewish mother and older sister, taking care of everyone, carrying everyone's problems on her own shoulders. A dramatic highlight of the evening is a confrontation between kate and Blanche as years of unspoken resentment spill over into a shouting match.

Kimberly Helms deserves special notice for her portrayal of Nora, fighting for her place in her mother's heart. Helm has a wonderfully mobile and expressive face that beautifully conveys the wide range of emotions required for the role.

Rounding out the excellent cast are Janine Christi as Laurie, Nora's younger sister, and Steve Walter as Jack Jerome, head of the household and arbiter of the family's multitude of problems.

The message of Simon's play is that it doesn't ever get easier, but that love and laughter and understanding, the problems of family life can be resolved for the good of all.