The Army Community Theatre production of "Once Upon a Mattress" is a study in contrasts. It looks absolutely gorgeous, but plays like a failed attempt at loopy, goofy comedy that doesn't hit its mark.

Based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, "The Princess and the Pea" the 1959 Broadway premiere started the career of Carol Burnett. Burnett created the role of Princess Winnifred the Woebegone and went on to earn the television crown for goofy and loopy previously held by Lucille Ball.

Music by Mary Rodgers never became popular, but once you see a song titled "The Swamps of Home" or hear lyrics like "I'm in love with a girl named Fred," you tend to remember them.

The characters are distinctive — a domineering Queen and a voiceless King, a tough Princess who climbs out of a moat and a Prince who is turned on by strong women. But despite its inherent wackiness, the show doesn't drive itself. It requires a high level of burlesque comedy to lift it above its origin as a summer-camp skit and hold a commercial theater audience. The show looks like it would be fun to do. Just about everyone in the chorus gets a shot at a stage "moment," and the fractured choreography by Grace Bell Humerickhouse for "Spanish Panic" allows the ensemble to let loose their inner rhythms without having to be schooled dancers.

The largely young cast directed by Richard MacPherson has obviously worked hard on the show. But while they get high marks for being prepared and energetic, they collectively lack the performance depth necessary to animate the material.

Renee Garcia Hartenstein comes out swinging but would make a better Dulcinea than a Winnifred. Pedro Haro plays a generic, unconfident Prince. Lenny Klompus disappears into the role of the silent King, and Tina Shelton is a boilerplate domineering Queen and is overshadowed by her large headdress.

There's a glimmer of something more in Richard Bragdon's performance as the uncoordinated Sir Harry that suggests he might be on the right track to the organic comedy hidden in the character.

But the show looks awfully good. Costumes, many of which came from a Broadway run of the show, feature sumptuous ball gowns and headpieces for the women and medieval armor and elaborate helmets for the men. The royal characters are swathed in yards of rich fabrics and ornaments that make up robes, skirts and sleeves.

The entire cast glows like a chest of rich jewels under Jarrod Larsen's lighting and stands out against Dennis Hassan's generous setting of unfolding brick towers and flying stained glass. There's also a convincing stack of 20 mattresses that towers over Winnifred's final test.

Musical director Kala'i Stern gets good choral sound but allows an over-amplified piano to dominate the rest of his orchestra.