By Mark A. Nobles/Special to the Times-Review
Those of you old enough to remember “duck and cover” drills and backyard bomb shelters will find Woody Allen’s cold war comedy “Don’t Drink the Water” a nostalgic stroll down memory lane.
Written in 1966 and adapted to the big screen in 1969, the play follows a New Jersey family, the Hollanders, who mistakenly wander into a restricted area in an Iron Curtain country and are chased by the secret police to the American embassy.
The problem is that the embassy is temporarily under the charge of the most inept, bungling ambassador in the history of international relations.
Landon Mirisciotti plays the ambassador, Axel Magee, with a Dick Van Dyke-like innocent charm. Mirisciotti is long and lanky and exudes an endearing innocence.
Jay Cornils plays Walter Hollander, the New Jersey caterer accused of being a cold war spy, like a slow burning fuse. Most of the trademark Allen spitfire comedic lines are given to the elder Hollander, and Cornils delivers the goods most of the time.
JoAnn Gracey plays Marion Hollander, Walters long-suffering wife, like the character is a second skin. Like every good Jewish mother, she paces, worries, and sees the dark cloud behind every silver lining, but most of all she compulsively tidies up.
Theresa Burton plays Susan Hollander, the lovely daughter and Axel Magee’s love interest. Burton plays Susan with equal parts spitfire and helpless ingénue. Her chemistry with Mirisciotti is believable.
Russ Walker plays Mr. Kilroy, the experienced diplomat, forced to constantly bail Axel out of his many mistakes with a harried efficiency.
G. Aaron Siler stalks the stage as Father Drobney, an outlawed priest forced to take asylum at the embassy six years ago from the godless communist regime.
The temperature drops about 20 degrees every time Joy White, who plays Krojack, the head of the secret police, stalks the stage. White’s portrayal as the unsmiling foil to Cornils neurotic American tourist is menacing and perfect.
The unabashed, scene-stealer award goes hands down to Jay Lewis for his hysterical performance of the neurotic, obsessive-compulsive, embassy chef. Lewis pulls double duty by also portraying the visiting sultan, but his portrayal of the chef stops the show.
C. Pamela Valle has a wordless comic turn as the sultan’s wife, who has more than a passing fancy for alcohol.
Kevin Poole plays elder statesman and Axel’s father, Ambassador Magee. Poole also directs the shenanigans with a light, but deft hand.
The pacing is frantic but controlled, and the action is lively without being busy. Poole moves the play along at a pace that matches the rapid and cutting one liners.
The Plaza is coming off two record breaking productions in “Singing in the Rain” and “High School Musical.”
“Don’t Drink the Water” may not have the shine and sizzle of those two shows, but it is a lively evening of old-school, slap-stick comedy that should not be missed.
Performances of “Don’t Drink the Water” run through Sept 5. Performances are 7:30 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, with performances Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
For information, call 817-202-0600 or visit www.plaza-theatre.com.
