An artistic director of a failing theatre company doesn’t welcome the corporate type sent to turn things around, in ABC’s new female-led comedy.

In one corner in red is Margie Argyle (Anne Edmonds), self-obsessed and limited in talents as Artistic Director of the struggling Argyle Theatre company.

In the other corner in blue is Julie McNamara (Kitty Flanagan) no-fuss, penny-pinching executive, brought in to save the company from its own excesses.

When the bell dings, please shake hands ready for a fair fight. And remember keep your punchlines above the belt.

The Argyle Theatre is our boxing ring in ABC’s newest comedy series, Bad Company, created and written by Anne Edmonds. It’s housed in a grand building (the location is Newport’s The SubStation for those wondering), but run by a small staff of believers led by Margie.

There’s marketing expert Christian (Cameron James), administrator Kat (Kira Puru), wig maker Jacob (Ben Pfeiffer) and wardrobe mistress Donna (Angella Dravid) …most of whom also represent largely new faces on television.

But when Argyle CEO Daniel (Alex Papps) quits in frustration over her latest programming plans the board’s Chair Carmel (Louise Siversen) seizes upon fraud committed by Ryan (Will Gibb), son of Julia. To avoid public humilation Carmel demands Julia work at the Argyle and turning the ailing company’s fortunes around.

Thus, two cyclonic forces, or at least one and a draconian breeze, are pitted against each other just ahead of launching the season programme.

But Margie, who loves to throw out the rule book and surprise her own staff with whims, does not take kindly to Julia entering her turf.

“I’m a truth custodian, a disrupter. I’m a witch, I’m a mother!” – Margie.

And she certainly has no desire to stage crowd-pleasing Grease in the repertoire of the company founded by her grandfather.

Meanwhile, Julia begrudges finding herself surrounded by arty-farty thespian-types. The quicker she can balance the books the quicker she can head back to the world of corporates.

“Theatre? Don’t we all just watch Netflix now?” – Julia.

But when Julia’s impressionable son Ryan enters the space, Margie woos him over to the arts side as she plans her next marathon artistic triumph, which much like Samuel Beckett’s Happy Days stars a woman buried up to her neck in sand.

The Argyle team can only but stand back as Margie reacts to Julia’s arrival and support their esteemed leader in her vision for work that matters, even if it impacts their very employment …. Julia embarks on an employee review to see where savings can be made. She does so while rehearsals, spending and improvisation workshops disrupt her best laid plans for accountability and order, tested daily.

Anne Edmonds, who has been hilarious in roles such as the outrageous Helen Buday, is similarly clashing here. It’s a style that drives through scenes unforgivingly, and you either get on board, or not. Kitty Flanagan, whose acclaimed Fisk has her as a long-suffering lawyer, is in another inept workplace… but this time she’s chief party pooper.

There are scenes gently -and sometimes not so gently- mocking the arts, actors, method acting, avante-garde workshops and traditions. Nicholas Bell arrives in Episode 3 as a clown dramaturg whom Julia mistakes for a homeless person, to which Kat tells her, “You’ve just described every actir in Melbourne.”

Unlike the recent music theatre comedy Happiness out of New Zealand, I do find myself wondering where my sympathies are meant to lie. Am I supposed to hope Margie triumphs and Julia is sent back to the corporate world…. or for Julia to tear up their budgets and make a profit by the time the curtain comes down?

Or is it neither, which would surely spell end of premise?

I’m guessing Julia grows to love this motley crew and decides they can’t survive without her help.

Meanwhile, bask in two popular female performers going toe to toe without quite as much bite as Who’s Aftraid of Virginia Woolf?

Bad Company screens 8:15pm Sundays on ABC.