Reviewed by Kathleen Kirby
Blue Heron Theatre Company in Holly took a step back in time Thursday to present the quirky humor of Woody Allen’s Don’t Drink the Water. A wacky comedy set in a 1969 American Embassy “somewhere behind the Iron Curtain”, the story unfolds at a breakneck pace built on corny jokes and incongruous situations.
In a nutshell, Walter Hollander (Brian Catton), a New Jersey caterer on vacation with his family, has inadvertently snapped some pictures of a top-secret military spot. He arrives, with a frenetic, red-faced Communist policeman (Larry Laferriere) hot on his trail, at the American Embassy seeking refuge from all the gunfire. Unfortunately, the ambassador isn’t there and Walter must deal with his inept son, Axel (John W. LaCroix, Jr.). Along with his wife Marion (Linda Mishler) and daughter Susan (Savannah Damoth), Walter soon realizes they are trapped in the Embassy and may not get home anytime soon, especially when he learns that Father Drobney (Matthew Semrau) has been there under similar circumstances for six years!
Director Joseph Michael Mishler’s troupe may be a bit overly enthusiastic now and again, but overall they generate a fair amount of laughs and a load of chuckles. Comedy, especially broad comedy, is tough and takes load of finesse and focus. It suffers when it’s pushed too hard, but fails when not given enough emphasis. It’s a fine line. While this cast started out a bit pushy Thursday, they eventually relaxed into a comfortable hilarity that finally worked fairly well.
As the zany magician priest, Semrau’s interpretation was consistent and believable. He made a good shot at sustaining a dialect and even pulled off a straitjacket scene which could have easily gone astray.
We were at first distracted by Catton’s repeated gestures, but he did manage to bring the frustration and comic self-centeredness out nicely. His character grew from wildly demanding to slightly conciliatory as the strife of the moments continued.
Linda Mishler’s portrayal was natural and motherly as she worried about her son back at home and her daughter’s pending wedding. Her dismay with Walter’s intermittent rages bordered on overkill now and then, but generally she was a stabilizing force amidst the chaos.
The role of Axel was a difficult one. The character’s ineptitude should be obvious to everyone except him. LaCroix seemed to struggle with this aspect a bit. He was nearly constant in his overreaction to everything. His character was hyper and wide-eyed from the beginning giving him little room to progress.
Others worthy of mention include Damoth for her nicely done character of the confident young woman always up for an adventure and surely not resigned to life in the Hamptons, Terry Connell as the wildly eccentric gourmet chef known for clattering his pans, and Al Bartlett as the long-suffering aide Kilroy (yep, he was there!).
Overall, this is an entertaining script filled with pratfalls and slapstick comedy. If you need a laugh here in the dead of a February winter, head on over to Holly and catch this one.
Performances of Don’t Drink the Water will continue February 15-16 and 21-23 at 7:30 p.m., and February 17 & 24 at 2:00 p.m. at the Karl Richter Campus Auditorium, 920 East Baird St., Holly, Mich. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for students and seniors. Tickets may be purchased at the door, at the Holly Township Library, 1116 S. Saginaw St., Holly, Mich., or at the Great Lakes Market Place, 107 S. Saginaw St., Holly, Mich. (credit cards accepted). Tickets may also be reserved by calling 810-931-7108.
Flint Area Theatres 