SHERMAN — There is something fishy afoot at the Sherman Playhouse this fall.

That something fishy takes the form of Michael Hollinger’s Red Herring. The cinematic device of a red herring, misleading or distracting from the central question, is just one of the many tropes used in this comedic love letter to the classic Film Noir genre.

Hollinger’s script vacillates wildly between parody and spoof of the genre and a true detective mystery, sometimes not understanding what it wants to be. It juxtaposes serious exposition with outrageous characters and one liners such as “Why do you drink vodka from a spoon?” (answer: because when I use a fork it falls in my lap).

Luckily, Sherman has enlisted a top-notch cast, who help elevate the material for an entertaining evening of theater.

Red Herring tells the story of three unconventional couples whose lives eventually intersect due to an espionage plot. The main through-line focuses on hard-boiled Boston detective Maggie Pelletier (played by Jennifer Wallace), who is tasked with investigating a murder. She is quickly drawn into a web of lies. She encounters a host of interesting characters including a medical examiner who really likes Ike, a Russian pretending to be mute, a salty landlady with a secret, and many others.

The cast pulls double (and sometimes triple) duty playing multiple characters throughout the show. The constant is Wallace as Pelletier. She is the strong grounding presence throughout the show, bringing a no nonsense sensibility to her character, while balancing it with heart for one of the show’s love story subplots.

Robert Roda is quickly becoming a local favorite and his nuanced performance in the role of Frank Keller (and others) is a prime example of why. He brings humor and heart to all the characters he portrays. The audience really feels for Frank when he gets some bad news about his partner in crime (and life) Maggie.

Roda’s minor characters are also fun to watch. He plays a befuddled exasperated priest toward the end of the show in a scene that is so much fun the audience could watch for hours.

Veteran actors Stephanie Hepburn and John Fabiani step into multiple roles throughout the show. There is no scenery left to be chewed once these two get done with it. That is meant as a complete compliment, as it is a joy to watch every character they portray. The audience looks forward to what wacky persona they will take on next.

Maya Daley and Kevin McNulty portray the young lovers Lynn McCarthy (yes, that 50s era McCarthy!) and James Appel in this farce (in addition to taking on other roles as the script requires of all its actors). They are a perfect stage pair and each gets their moments to shine.

It’s always fun watching Daley’s exuberance on stage. She brings down the house as a Carol Burnett-esque city hall clerk who helps Frank find a marriage license to help crack his own personal case. Her physical comedy is perfection.

Director Michael Frohnhoeffer does a good job balancing this high speed show, which involves multiple locations and set changes. Whether you are a fan of the film noir genre or not, there is something for everyone in Sherman’s latest production.

Performances continue weekends to September 28. For tickets and more information visit shermanplayers.org.