Amusing Tale in What the Rabbi Saw

Jewish schtick, long a staple of stage going back to days of vaudeville is alive and well in Los Angeles, as the Dreamhouse Ensemble stages the slapstick farce What the Rabbi Saw at The Space Theatre, running through December 16, 2006.

With the recent smash-hit production of Jewtopia in West Hollywood, now in a successful run off-Broadway, a meshugina family caught up in the throws of a pending marriage, or lack there of, still amuses.  Rabbi, written by Billy Van Zandt and Jane Milmore (The Senator Wore Pantyhose and Wish You Were Her), is a hodgepodge of zany affairs between Walter (Travis Goodman), Wendy (Sarah Zimmitti) and their eerily familiar family.

Caught with his pants down in a hotel room, Walter faces the watchful yet oblivious eye of the family rabbi (Corey Pepper).  So on comes the guilt, although not before the bride-to-be is found with Walter's best friend Mitch (Michael Uribes) up her dress.  Such chutzpah on these kids, but all too soon the realization that the fruit hasn't fallen too far from the family tree comes to light as the father of the bride's (Adam Gregor) own affair crashes the party.  And what would a wedding be without the annoying planner Noel (Guy Perry), think of Martin Short in Father of the Bride, although this time slightly more inept.

Directed by Ross Kramer, this comedy, which played Los Angeles nearly 6 years ago, comes out of the gate charging with at times an over the top energy, with a waft of The Three Stooges on a pretty good day.  Kramer might have benefited from a toning down of the nonstop get-up-and-go vibe, but then again, once seeing the Tom and Jerry chase scene under beds and through closets, all is forgiven.

Goodman, in his Los Angeles stage debut, seems slightly stiff at times, but seems to overcome any reservations before the second act, while the standout of the evening has to be the lovely Kerry Michaels (Ovation Award-nominee for I Capture the Castle) as the mother of the bride, who channels every Jewish mother ever presented on stage or screen into a barrel of laughs.

The Rabbi cast includes Stefanie Chapman, Kent Boden, Dre Slaman and Ronald Quigley and is produced and designed by Alex Sol, with additional stage and costume design by Stefanie Chapman.

Not for the youngest of crowds, Rabbi will please anyone nearing or trying to forget a family wedding, or anyone seeking an amusing night at the theatre.

Tickets can be ordered at www.dreamhouseensemble.com, at 323-661-2585 or at The Space box office, located at 665 N. Heliotrope Drive, Hollywood 90004.

Photos by Alex Sol