Once again, Theater Artists Olympia has taken a classic and updated to make it, if not better than the original, then at least more enjoyable and laughable for contemporary audiences. Philip Wickstrom and Pug Bujeaud with the TAO collective have updated Molière's 17th-century farce The Physician in Spite of Himself, setting it in Louisiana in the 1880s. In this version directed by Bujeaud and starring Robert McConkey as the phony physician Sganarelle, there is a lot of spanking going on (mildly titillating, hilarious sado-masochism) thus the subtitle, whackingly naughty comedy.

Bujeaud warned TAO audiences at the beginning of the season. Noting that TAO had a reputation for shows with a lot of violence, such as their great but exceedingly violent adaptation of Titus Andronicus, Bujeaud said this year they were going to go more for sexy and funny - which they've done in spades with Physician.

The setup is simple but ludicrous. Sganarelle is a poor woodworker who drinks a lot and beats his saucy wife, Martine (Jess Allan), who apparently likes the beating and returns the favor. To get even with him for disappointing her, she sets it up so that he is mistaken for a physician - a plot point that proves both Moliere and the adapting team of Wickstrom and Bujeaud valued humor over believability - and discovers that being a doctor is a lot of fun, and it doesn't seem to matter that he hasn't the slightest notion what he's doing.

When he is corrected for saying the liver is on the left side and the heart on the right, he laughs it off by replying, "we have changed all that." And he gets away with proposing absurd cures with a cavalier attitude. Plus, he gets to flirt outrageously with the sexy nurse Jacqueline (Vanessa Postil).

Lucinde (Sara Geiger) suffers from a rare disease that renders her unable to talk. All the best physicians in the land have tried and failed to cure her. Her father, Geronte (Marko Bujeaud) begs Sganarelle to cure her, which he does. Miraculously. And suddenly everyone believes he is the greatest physician in the world. Geronte wanted her to marry a wealthy suitor she did not love instead of Léandre (Alayna Chamberland) whom she truly loves. Casting a woman to play Léandre also adds a nice contemporary twist.

For a comedy with no significant set - meaning no walls, stairs, tables, chairs, etc., but only a painted backdrop and three off-square rectangular boxes to sit or stand on - the stage is gorgeous. The backdrop is a woodland scene originally designed by Linda Whitney and created by Dennis Worrell and Harlequin Productions for Harlequin's production of The Two Gentlemen of Verona.

Also adding to the visual appeal are the costumes, supposedly created by cast and crew since no costume designer is credited in the program. The costumes are relatively accurate for the time and place, but in a madcap farce such as this accuracy is irrelevant. Particularly striking were the dress worn by Lucinde and the Mad Max outfit worn by Valeria (Heather Christopher).

From McConkey as Sganarelle to the smallest bit parts, the entire cast is outstanding. McConkey's physical gyrations are monumental - no subtlety whatsoever, but wild, all-out slapstick. Allan is also great. There is subtlety in her acting, but also over-the-top flirtatiousness. Other performances worthy of note are those by Postil and short appearances by Mark Alford.

For big belly laughs, The Physician in Spite of Himself is a few steps above any of the other holiday shows gracing area stages this season.

The Physician in Spite of Himself, 8 p.m., Thursday-Saturday, through Dec. 17, The Midnight Sun, 113 N. Columbia St., tickets $15, available at door night of show or online at olytheater.com