If you loved this the first time . . .

"Let's Pretend We're Married

," a show by 1812 Productions produced last spring, is being revived in the same space (the Prince Music Theater) and with the same cast (Tony Braithwaite and 1812's artistic director, Jennifer Childs) that created it. The show, which opened last night, is identical except for a new number and new routine, both about Valentine's Day.

Here is an excerpt from Howard Shapiro's review of the original.

Along come Childs and Braithwaite with a show so fresh and so free of cliche - except when it employs banality as a juicy target - that it's a revelation.

Even odder, Let's Pretend We're Married seems new despite the generous portion of material it spirits from the har-har compartment of a vault. That includes bits from George Burns and Gracie Allen, from the "Bickersons" radio skits, and from the catalogs of Henny Youngman, Phyllis Diller, and others.

Childs and Braithwaite, each a master of comic timing, effortlessly blend the Grade-A shtick with such songs as Lerner and Loewe's "Almost Like Being in Love." That title is an accurate depiction of the premise of Let's Pretend We're Married. It's not really hosted by a married couple; the theme of the evening is, they're almost like being in love.

Childs and Braithwaite often perform together, many times playing husband-and-wife roles. They are a great match in talent, chemistry, and physical stature - not exactly pint-sized, but compact, never mind that they can be the most towering forces on a stage.

Presented by 1812 Productions, at the upstairs Independence Foundation Black Box theater at Prince Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut St. Through Feb. 14. Tickets: $25-$35.

Information: 215-592-9560 or www.1812productions.org. EndText