Though the terrain sounds more like Nicky Silver, John Patrick Shanley is the author of Psychopathia Sexualis, a comedy about sex and socks having its Bay Area premiere at Palo Alto's TheatreWorks. Previews begin Mar. 10, for an official run, Mar. 13-Apr. 11.

During its original New York run at OB's Manhattan Theatre Club, producer Barry Grove described the comedy to PBOL as "a very funny play about a man who goes to visit a psychiatrist because he can't make love if he's not holding his father's Argyll socks." Curing this impotence has a certain urgency because he's altar-bound in a week.

For TheatreWorks, Amy Gonzalez directs a cast including: Darren Bridgett, Tommy Gomez, Dan Hiatt, Rebecca Dines, and Marin Van Young.

Shanley's other writing credits include: Missing/Kissing, Four Dogs And A Bone, Savage In Limbo, and the Academy Award winning screenplay for "Moonstruck."

After Psychopathia, TheatreWorks finishes up its 1998-99 season with Susan Kim's adaptation of Amy Tan's novel, The Joy Luck Club (April 14 May 2). For tickets and memberships to TheatreWorks shows call (650) 463-1960.

-- By Sean McGrath