In these challenging times, theatergoers can find refuge in a trio of new or recently revived productions that embrace hilariously clever meta humor. The Mischief Theatre’s The Comedy About Spies delivers a wide array of espionage humor, while the cast of Titanique hilariously parodies James Cameron’s grandiose storytelling. Now, at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, audiences can delve into Shucked, a screwball musical that playfully critiques the saccharine tropes of the Grand Ole Opry.

Shucked, which made its Broadway debut two years ago, is the delightful first offering in Drew McOnie’s inaugural season as artistic director. The production is packed with puns that are witty, risqué, and occasionally tongue-in-cheek, following the misadventures of two lovers searching for happiness in Cob County—an eccentric town where corn is the main staple and unfamiliar faces are hard to find.

Songwriters Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally draw heavily from Nashville’s musical heritage, ensuring that every song resonates with authenticity. In the heartfelt ballad Somebody Will, Ben Joyce’s lovelorn character, Beau, captures the essence of a poignant late-night radio vibe, reminiscent of long drives across America’s heartland.

Robert Horn’s book is impressively crafted. Though the plot is simple, it is enriched with clever in-jokes and subtle allusions, deftly woven together by the show’s Broadway director, Jack O’Brien. The entertainingly suggestive undertones of corn on the cob are a constant source of humor, aided by the antics of the playful narrators, Monique Ashe-Palmer and Steven Webb, who cleverly break the fourth wall against Scott Pask’s whimsically designed barn set.

From the outset, with a pre-show prompt to turn off our tractors, the audience can settle in for a fun experience. Joyce and Sophie McShera shine as the leading couple (with McShera playing the aptly named Maizy), while Georgina Onuorah’s cynical character, Lulu, steals the spotlight with her dynamic performance of Independently Owned. Although Matthew Seadon-Young’s role as Gordy, a scheming conman, is somewhat underdeveloped, the laughter keeps rolling thanks to Keith Ramsay’s portrayal of the dim-witted Peanut, who dispenses humorous folksy wisdom.

A century after Sinclair Lewis critiqued small-town conformity in Main Street, Clark, McAnally, and Horn effectively reveal that not much has changed in the remote areas of the country. ★★★★★ 145min Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, London, until June 14.