Over the course of one mad weekend, the six characters in Alan Ayckbourn’s Round & Round the Garden, part of his Norman Conquests trilogy, find themselves weaving in and out of witty conversations and wacky situations as they converge in a small English garden in Sussex.

And the Ridgefield Theater Barn’s production of the 1973 British comedy opening 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9, delivers the dry, sometimes over-the-top banter in a way that highlights the tested relationships between Ayckbourn’s characters as they carouse across the small stage under the direction of Debbie Levin.

There’s newcomer Harry Lipstein as the titular Norman, a drunken Don Juan sort of cad; Meghan O’Rourke as the sweetly bemused Annie; Patrick Kelly as the dim-witted but good-natured veterinarian, Tom; Paulette Layton as the shrewdly proper Sarah; Brian DeToma as the bumbling Reg; and Laurel Lettieri as the jaded, leisurely Ruth.

Now, pay attention: Norman is married to Ruth, but is looking for anything else he can get, namely to run away with his sister-in-law Annie, who is the love interest of Tom, though Tom can’t quite work that out. Norman’s brother is Reg, who is married tenuously to Sarah, who is looking for a way out. They’re all together for the weekend coming in and out of Reg and Sarah’s garden.

And that’s just where the play starts – director Levin takes the Theater Barn audience on a comically twisted tour of Ayckbourn’s wordy piece with quick action and a fast pace, all with a luscious garden backdrop.

Thursday night, the cast and crew performed their final dress rehearsal for an audience of Meadow Ridge seniors.

The only first-time actor in the cast, Ridgefielder Lipstein fully embraces his eccentric role as Norman and the essence of community theater along with it. All five of the other actors have had professional training.

“It’s been a humbling experience,” Lipstein said. “Every one of the people here has made this a fun show, and it’s been a lesson in humility to realize the extent of the amount of work that goes into that.”

Lipstein, O’Rourke and Kelly are all from Ridgefield, while DeToma is from Waterbury, Layton is from New Fairfield and Lettieri is from Mount Vernon, N.Y.

“It went very well,” Levin said of the rehearsal, which comes just a week after Ridgefield experienced widespread power outages, a situation that gave Levin “a moment of panic.”

“We ended up only missing one night of rehearsal,” she said, sounding relieved, “so we were lucky there.”

Levin commended the crew, as well, including producer Cheryl Boyd, stage manager Melissa Power and light and sound operator Roberto Perez.

“Being backstage you get to see the play develop,” Perez said. “And it keeps getting funnier and funnier.”

The Theater Barn, tucked away off of Prospect Ridge at the end of Halpin Ln., is a “well-kept secret” in the community, Lipstein said.

But, he added, “there’s no reason we shouldn’t pack the house.”

The Ridgefield Theater barn will perform Round & Round the Garden 8 p.m. every Friday and Saturday evening through Oct. 1, as well as two Sunday matinees 5 p.m. on Sept. 18 and 25.

Tickets are $24 for adults and $20 for students and seniors. Seating is cabaret style, and audience members are invited to bring food and beverage for before the performance and during intermission.