One way to assess a comedy set titled "The history of America" is to critique the inevitable "Father of Our Country" joke. You know it has to be in there somewhere; it's practically mandated in the Bill of Rights. How will the George As Big Daddy routine roll?

The cheerful news is that in the Aithon Theatre Company's spiffy Rogue show, the "father" joke is fresh, well-executed and hysterical. (Let's just say some of the, er, more suggestive allusions in said joke are conveyed in a smart, literary style.) For the most part, that's what you get in this clever and boisterous show featuring the talents of Philip Bryan, Landon Weiszbrod and Byron Watkins.

Though the 45-minute routine, which I caught Sunday night at Veni Vidi Vici, takes a little time to warm up -- the opening song just bogs things down -- by the time these three talented performers get into the groove, "America" feels smooth and sure. Each actor plays a number of quick-change characters, ranging from Amerigo Vespucci and Thomas Jefferson to John Wilkes Booth. What I like most about Aithon's set is that it's a nice balance between slapstick and sophisticated. (Love the joke about the plural of Starbucks.) Offbeat and dry at times, cornball and loose at others, it has a nice flow. A recommended Rogue standout.