As the play begins, Mama, still in her housecoat, sings the old hymn, “This is the day, this is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made.” Sweet, except pay attention to that repetition. Also to her reaction when the neighbor’s dog starts barking: “I’m gonna kill that dog. Cut it up and cook it.” A bit violent and even unsettling, especially given that Mama is making stew here in the kitchen. Well, not just Mama. Her daughters Lillian and Nellie are on hand — Lillian for the first time in a long time — as is Lillian’s tween daughter Lil’ Mama, and Mama’s real job is to tell them what to do and why they’re doing it wrong.

But don’t let my talk of ominous hints and familial tensions fool you: Common Ground Theater’s revelatory co-production with Scripps Ranch may not be a comedy, exactly, but it is funny. Funny in the layered, interior way that families are funny. Its humor keeps conflict from boiling over — most of the time — but it also inflects ordinary interaction. Now and then there are explicit jokes, as when the younger generations start to mirror Mama’s familiar speeches. But mostly, the humor is in the cock of head and look in eye and tone of voice — “None of your business” delivered without venom or condescension, but with an almost friendly warmth. It’s people being natural with one another — really, a marvel of acting all around.

Why is Mama making stew? Well, it’s for a very important occasion at the church, and things need to be done sooner than later, and why is the phone always ringing, and why isn’t Lillian’s husband here yet and what’s wrong with Nellie’s belly, and…? Well, if you believe Mama’s claim that Richard III, for which Lil’ Mama is auditioning, is really all about the women, then you might want to pay attention to the speech that everybody practices.