Dry Patches Choke Laughs in ‘Don’t Drink the Water’

It’s strange to watch a revival of Woody Allen’s 1966 Broadway hit, “Don’t Drink the Water”--especially the underfed one at Musical Theatre Village--in the wake of Barbara Kopple’s recent documentary movie, “Wild Man Blues,” about the Allen of the late ‘90s.

Both the revival and Allen are nervous, fitfully funny at points, but not really in any condition to be put in front of an audience.

Strangest of all, though, is to see how the young Allen--known then as a gifted stand-up comic and yet to make a movie--envisioned a version of his future, bitter self in the central character of New Jersey caterer Walter Hollander (Ray Kerek, alternating with Andrew McLeod), the comedy’s anti-hero who gets absurdly caught behind enemy Communist lines. Walter, like Woody in “Wild Man Blues,” hates to travel, figures that anything that can go wrong will--and will kvetch about anything.

It’s no coincidence that Allen played Walter in the TV version of “Don’t Drink” a few seasons ago; in a sense, he has grown into Walter. Kerek, on the other hand, plays Walter like he’s Alan King. Like the comedy, the performance is excessively broad, even dallying with Semitic stereotypes but is frequently funny even when we know it’s stupid.

The idea of Walter, boorish wife Marion (Liz Haut, alternating with Tiffany Moon) and permanently mini-skirted daughter Susan (Bryce Daniels, alternating with Meghan Doyle) being tourists in a fierce, ‘60s-era Communist nation is silly enough.

To compound matters, the Commie police suspect the Hollanders of spying and chase them into the U.S. Embassy--which happens to be run this week in the Ambassador’s absence by his bumbling son, Axel Magee (Sean Greenroyd, alternating with Garrett Severen). That is the start of an endless series of gaffes, flubs, hiccups and a few loose sticks of dynamite, crazy chefs and dropped guns.

These days, “Don’t Drink” is purely of historical interest to Allen fans who don’t know Early Woodman (his stand-up recordings of this period are infinitely preferable). The play itself falls into the category of the light, brainless farces by Ken Ludwig and Neil Simon that community theaters are so fond of.

By the time the low, anti-Arab stereotypes of the drunk Sultan of Bashir (Harley Bertram, alternating with Stan Zelinger) are trucked out, Allen’s comedy runs into a cul-de-sac he can’t escape from, even as the Hollanders do.

*

Director Gary Severen seems to lack a sense for the rhythms of farce, so countless lines and shtick fail to deliver. Kerek’s and Haut’s marital banter is the only real comic energy here; when they exit, the laughs go with them. Greenroyd possesses a geeky, teenage charm, but his poor delivery is a problem.

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“Don’t Drink the Water”

Musical Theatre Village, 22722 Lambert St., Suite 1711, Lake Forest. Friday, 7 p.m.; Saturday, 2:30 and 7 p.m.; Sunday, 7 p.m. (dark July 3-5). Ends July 12. $8. (949) 859-3688. Running time: 2 hours.

Ray Kerek/Andrew McLeod: Walter

Liz Haut/Tiffany Moon: Marion

Sean Greenroyd/Garrett Severen: Axel

Bryce Daniels/Meghan Doyle: Susan

Rachel Bertram/Jenelle Huntley: Kilroy

Amy Saenz/Denise Fenton: Sister Drobney

Greg Avants/Matt Avants: Krojack

Garry Saenz/Greg Avants: Ambassador Magee

Matt Avants/Harley Bertram: Chef

Harley Bertram/Stan Zelinger: Sultan

A Musical Theatre Village production of Woody Allen’s comedy. Directed by Gary Severen.