If there was ever a time we needed a good farce, this is it. Fortunately for us, the Red Bull Theater has put together a production of Moliere’s final work, “The Imaginary Invalid.” Like all good farces, this is a fairly simple story that pokes fun at human beings doing what human beings do.

Argan (Mark Linn-Baker) is a hypochondriac who lost his first wife a year earlier. His doctor bills are huge, and as a solution to his problem, he wants to marry his daughter Angelique (Emilie Kouatchou) off to a doctor. The trouble is she loves non-doctor Cleante (John Yi). Add to this mix a gold-digging second wife (Emily Swallow) and her lover Bonnefoi (Manoel Felciano) along with a smart-mouthed maid Toinette (Sarah Stiles) and the games can begin.

Jeffrey Hatcher adapted the play for this production, and he has said “the play’s central character, Monsieur Argan, must be played by an actor who is classically trained, a comedian and like-able. So many versions of The Imaginary Invalid make Argan a nasty fool. True, he is a fool, and he does things he shouldn’t. He tries to marry his daughter to a doctor so he’ll have free on-site healthcare for the rest of his life, and if she refuses he’ll send her to a convent. But for the comedy to work, the audience must be engaged in Argan’s story, so he must be played by an actor with whom the audience has a natural affinity.

“Mark Linn-Baker is that actor, and this adaptation will be tailored specifically to his persona and talents, along with those of the company of actors who support him.”

If you remember his performances on TV’s “Perfect Strangers” or the film “My Favorite Year” with Peter O’Toole, you know that Linn-Baker is one of the finest physical comedians of his generation. He also has a likability about him that is hard to define, but Hatcher has taken fullest advantage of this.

The supporting cast also gets to shine in ways tailored to their strengths. Kouatchou and Yi have a song together as part of the show that could be performed by people who can not really sing. Instead, Kouatchou brings the voice that got her the role of Christine in “Phantom” a while back. That happened about the same time Yi had his Broadway debut originating the role of Danny in “KPOP.” Vocals of this caliber are not what you expect in a farce.

The script has roles for Doctors Purgon, Diafoiros and Fleurant, Arnie Burton plays all three, and is hilarious in each. Purgon is Argan’s physician who lives next door and seems torn between the constant demands on his time and the fees those visits generate. Fleurant is played as the administrator of enemas with a German accent and an improvised enema device (a new definition of “IED”). And as Diafoiros, he tries desperately to get his son Thomas (Russell Daniels) married to Angelique, a fairly straight role that contrasts nicely with the demented Fleurant.

It is Daniels, however, who steals a majority of the scenes. Thomas is an oafish dimwit in a sailor costume more appropriate to a Lord Fauntleroy. His genius is in playing the role with a deadly seriousness that makes the absurd even more laughable (think of John Cleese trying to keep his cool or Lou Costello in almost anything). If he is as smart as his performance, he will steal as much from Linn-Baker as he can.

As in many farces, where entrances and exits are part of the humor, the set here is built to allow the madcap silliness to flourish, and scenic designer Beowulf Boritt won a few laughs for which he does not get credit.

Director Jesse Berger has added a few modern references to keep the show from feeling its 350 years. My favorite was Daniels presenting Thomas’ dissertation on a new healthcare system  “The idea is you pay for your treatment first, in installments, then when you get sick and need a doctor, you pay more.” That the dimmest character offered this says all that is needed about the US medical care system.

Running Time: Approximately 80 minutes without intermission

“The Imaginary Invalid” runs through June 29 at New World Stages at 340 W. 50^th Street in New York. For more information and tickets visit the Red Bull Theater.