Many words come to mind when trying to describe the force that was Mae West. Call her what you will: bawdy temptress, blonde bombshell, pioneer of sexual innuendo, early feminist and talented comedienne all spring to mind, and the Madison Rep's "Dirty Blonde" attempts to capture them all.

Written by Claudia Shear and directed by Richard Corley, "Dirty Blonde" runs until May 29th at the UW Mitchell Theatre.

Perhaps one of the pitfalls of trying to portray the journey of a larger-than-life heroine is that any imitation is destined to fall a little flat. Such is the case for "Blonde" which travels through West's life, tying together loose ends with an intertwining plot centered around reserved Charlie (Norm Boucher) and wild-eyed Jo (Martie Sanders, who doubles as West during the flashbacks). The two endearingly neurotic West fans meet at the star's grave and begin a complex relationship, letting us into their own lives by talking about their heroine.

"Blonde" is skillfully held down by a mere three actors, with Jack Forbes Wilson starring as Mae's first and only husband Frank, and all the actors do an admirable job juggling multiple roles. But Sanders feels a little stiff as the sarcastic wild-woman West, and the play tends to drag in the scenes depicting West's life.

Thankfully, the budding romance between Charlie and Jo, and the resulting ground-shaking plot twist in the second act are enough to keep us engaged. Despite the play's focus on West, Boucher is the real star of the play, giving a tender and nuanced performance as Charlie, a man with a secret too deep to share.

In an attempt to loosen us up, "Dirty Blonde" throws us musical numbers, bare breasts and drag queens, but never really cuts loose itself, choosing gravity over comedy, and we reach many potential climaxes in the plot, only to be let down. Yet despite its stiffness and shortcomings, "Dirty Blonde" is a fine tribute to West, ultimately showing us that true rebellion and acceptance might be a little different than we thought.