By Joseph J. Crawford
Theater Correspondent

Filled with color, laughter and theatrical savvy, “Bits and Pieces” is the kind of modest, big-hearted show you hope will run for ages – the perfect place to entertain an out-of-town guest or to revisit on your own. The disciplined skill shining in these 12 original short works reaffirms Rough & Tumble Theatre’s sterling quality. Company members developed the pieces under the direction of Dan Milstein, artistic director and cofounder of R&T (with performer Kristin Baker).

In an interview with me last year, Milstein said the company aims primarily for a feeling of wonder – a sense of discovery and delight in the recognition of how we act day to day. Anyone who saw “Archimedes Abercrombie Makes a Movie” (2001) knows how imaginatively R&T can satisfy this aim. “Bits and Pieces” builds on past success. It’s a lighthearted, sharply focused hit.

The playful playbill lists the entries “in a particular order – but not necessarily the order we’ll use tonight.” That’s a primary reason why one might want to revisit the show – curiosity over how it would play with the scenes reshuffled.

The press night performance opened with “Pop Song Girl is Late for Work,” a wise choice. This fast-paced vignette brings on the entire cast of five and exemplifies R&T’s preference for communication through movement rather than words. Played in silence, it’s a witty sitcom-in-a-miniature, with a situation we’ve all endured and genial humor that had the audience laughing from the start.

Though wordless, “Pop Song Girl” is essentially “realistic.” Three other straightforward entries are droll variations on another, everyday occurrence – two guys driving together – developed and performed by Chris Cook and George Saulnier III. Their timing and panache are impeccable, with sentence fragments and misapprehensions flying like so much verbal confetti. All three pieces evoked loud hilarity and sharp applause.

A fifth “straightforward” piece is the evening’s major entry, a short play by contributing writer William Donnelly. “You Know Why You’re Here” is a bittersweet evocation of lost opportunity, with a conclusion that’s vaguely unsettling yet oddly satisfying. It’s the only other time besides “Pop Girl” where the entire cast performs and offers a second chance to see what a fine ensemble they form.

Two silent pieces comprise another category of entertainment – surreal physical humor. In “Day of the Giant Red Things” two free-floating hands take on a vibrant life of their own. And in “That *@!%ing Hand Is Back” the disembodied heads of Kristin Baker and Irene Daly vie for the affections of a sweet suitor who, though not all man, is clearly all hand.

There are four absurdist sketches. In “Yoyodyne Correspondence School” it’s a chatty cassette player that comes to insistent life. “When No One Comes Calling” is a pleasantly surprising playlette by director Milstein that uses words with precision. And the silent “Lunch” and “Chair Bit” both display a knowing, humane humor.

Finally, in a class by itself, is the only solo entry, “Please Don’t Watch This Piece.” Tori Low is luminous in this brief, enigmatic exploration of timidity and transformation.

The other players are superb as well. Kristin Baker is consistently warm and engaging, an Irene Daly is a comic delight. Chris Cook and George Saulnier III team up four times to high comic effect and are also wonderful individually. This cast is finely tuned to its small performance space and perfectly adjusted to the unique demands of the varied script – precision timing, playful understatement and consistency of comic tone.

The tonal consistency is enhanced by the tasteful, colorful work of costumer Bonnie Duncan and the set designer Brett Bundock, and by the unobtrusive incidental music of Fred Harrington. The adroit lighting design by Kathy Maloney is also an asset.

Director Milstein wisely refrains from artificially tying the 12 entries together with a trite framing device. But amidst the frequent laughter and variety of form we still hear an insistent thematic flow, rather like a distant stream. As knowledgeable and courteous hosts, Milstein and his cast let us listen for these themes on our own, enlisting us as collaborators.

Note, for instance, how often you see two characters in competition, adjusting to shifts in their power relationship which are often subtle, sometimes abrupt and frequently funny. In fact, seven of the bits are for two players alone, while two other pieces feature a pair of players vying for attention from a third. Note also the thematic emphasis – in forms both serious and comic – on miscommunication, missed chances, the risk inherent in keen aspirations and the fear of making momentous decisions.

If there’s another show in town where you could enjoy 90 refreshing minutes at so little cost, let me know if you find it. But I doubt you will.

“Bits and Pieces” performs Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 through $12. For reservations, please call 617-426-2787.