Review: BOB'S HOLIDAY OFFICE PARTY at Odyssey Theatre Ensemble

For almost three decades, Bob’s Holiday Office Party has earned a solid cult following with audiences and critics alike!  Playwrights Joe Keyes and Rob Elk are proud to bring back the longest running holiday hit for its 28th season this December, produced by Elk and Keyes along with Charlie Loventhal, and co-produced by Marissa Drammissi. The hilarious and irreverent comedy has become a vital part of every Christmas season in Los Angeles since 1995, and dedicated fans have been returning over the years to laugh at all the riotous antics. 

Things get out of hand at Bob's Holiday Office Party! 
L-R: Front Chloe Taylor, Rob Elk, Andrea Hutchman, 
Rear: Pat Towne, Johanna McKay, Judy Heneghan, Mark Fite, Joe Keyes
Photo credit: Louisa Gauerke

It just wouldn't be Christmas in Los Angeles without Bob’s Holiday Office Party bringing a lot of deranged hilarity into the mix. Fortunately, the show is back for its 28th year of putting the laughter, as well as a bit of a drunken mess, into the holiday season. I first saw this show in 2013 and it's nice to know this hilarious holiday show is worth revisiting every year. After all, good laughs are always a welcome addition during hard times, and political satire will always find its way to the stage!

This year's smashed hit is directed by Matt Roth, who has brilliantly organized so much deviant behavior it would take at least half a dozen viewings to catch all the continuously evolving comedy bits. Be sure to enjoy the festive set before the show commences because once the actors arrive and the drinking begins, secrets will be revealed and nothing will ever be the same!

For the uninitiated, the action of the play is set in the office of insurance salesman Bob Finhead of Finhead Insurance in Neuterburg, Iowa (population 382). As the name of the play implies, Christmas is coming soon, which means that Bob is getting ready to throw his annual holiday gathering at his insurance office for his friends, many of whom have been customers for as many generations as Bob's ancestors have owned and operated the insurance office.

L-R:  Rob Elk, Chloe Taylor, Joe Keyes, Andrea Hutchman, Judy Heneghan, Johanna McKay, Pat Towne, and Mark Fite. Photo credit: Louisa Gauerke

But as the holidays approach, Bob has misgivings about his life since what he really wanted to become was an inventor. His inventions, of course, are the most inane and silly items you can imagine, including a key chain with a bottle of cheap booze attached to it promoting his insurance business with the slogan, "here's one for the road!" But why would an insurance salesman encourage his customers to drink and drive? To drum up business no doubt since most of his customers have repeatedly required his help get out of traffic jams. Talk about an ambulance chaser!

As the play progresses, the Neuterburgers assemble at Bob's office to do what they do best: party and drink until most are falling-down drunk and their inhibitions have been released. And what a bunch of characters they are, most of whom have already been drinking at the town's local waterhole hole, The Tip Top, before they even get to Bob's.

To complicate matters, Bob (Rob Elk, who wonderfully portrays the most strait-laced and professional businessman in town, milking every laugh for all its worth) is carrying on an ongoing weekly rendezvous with the mayor's wife, Margie (Andrea Hutchman), while her husband, Mayor Roy Mincer (Pat Towne, dressed as a comical imitation of Waldo) is busy fooling around with (the unseen) Darren.

Everyone knows about Margie and Bob!
L-R:  Andrea Hutchman and Rob Elk 
Photo credit: Louisa Gauerke

Everyone in town knows what's going on with this love triangle, but that does not seem to make any difference to anyone since tonight everyone just wants to party and get drunk. Bring on the Andy Williams and Tennessee Ernie Ford records, as well as a few of Bob’s useless inventions, including his clapper crapper behind the off-the-hinges bathroom door which flushes every time the drunken partiers clap for anyone's announced achievements, first revealed when Joe, the drunken town sheriff (Joe Keyes) makes use of the facilities in full view of everyone in the room!

Keyes delivers some of the best one-liners in the show with just the right amount of distain and sincerity. And although married, Joe is attracted to Brandy, the town party girl who is the twin sister of Carol, the minister's foul-mouthed, emotionally disturbed wife, both portrayed by Sirena Irwin. But when Brandy arrives at the party already drunk from hours at The Tip Top, Irwin is a hoot and completely transforms herself so thoroughly it is difficult to believe the same actress plays both roles! And her incredible agility as she slithers her way around Joe’s body gives this play an adults-only rating.

There's one other set of twins in town, LaDonna (Judy Heneghan) and LaVoris Johnson (Johanna McKay), wealthy farmers who are proud members of the Make America Proud party. These two women dress alike, finish each other sentences, and proceed to get so drunk they both seduce the town sheriff together from the dance floor straight to passing out on top of one another on the on the floor by the door. One particularly hilarious bit leading up to the seduction involves two funnels and a bottle of scotch… while Bob and Margie whisper together across the room.

Also dropping in are Marty (Mark Fite), the town stoner and constant beer guzzler who arrives in an AC/DC tee shirt and professes to be an expert in all things UFO related, and Elwin (PETER BREITMAYER), now a successful entrepreneur based in Des Moines. Elwin is best remembered as a magnet for bullies while he was growing up, but left town to become a wealthy tycoon. And now he's back to wreak havoc as he attempts to take his revenge on the town's inhabitants who did him wrong by buying up their businesses to take over the town. But when the partiers find out what Elwin is up to, you can bet they figure out a way to run him out of town again!

Elwin vows to get his revenge on the town of  Neuterburg, Iowa during Bob's Holiday Office Party!  L-R:  Peter Breitmeyer, Rob Elk, Joe Keyes, Judy Heneghan, Chloe Taylor, Johanna McKay, Andrea Hutchman, Pat Towne, and Mark Fite
Photo credit: Louisa Gauerke

Will Bob ever travel on the path of his ambition? Can he really leave his home town for greener pastures? I won't spoil the fun - you will have to see the show yourself and laugh your way through it to see how the town's inhabitants survive the party. I am sure there is a lot going on that is planned as the organized disorderly party antics occur constantly in every corner of the set, but these talented actors no doubt add in more with each show to keep each other on their toes. And all I can say is, kudos to the stage manager and co-producer Marissa Drammissi who always has an incredible mess to clean up after every performance. I spoke with her as she started on that task and she said that, “today was not that bad. The stage isn’t wet!” I can only imagine how that happened, given the amount of liquid consumed during the 90-minute Bob’s Holiday Office Party!

Scenic designer Amanda Knehans and lighting designer McLeod Benson have teamed up beautifully to bring Matt Roth’s directorial vision to fruition amid the ongoing chaos!

Performances continue at The Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd. in West Los Angeles, CA. 90025, through December 21, 2025, on Friday & Saturday 8pm and Sunday 2pm, and Thurs, Dec. 19 at 8pm. General admission is $30 with tickets on sale in advance online at https://odysseytheatre.com/tickets/?eid=178211 and at http://www.onstage411.com/bhop

Available tickets will be sold at the onsite box office. Run time is approximately 90 minutes without an intermission. Free onsite parking. Due to language and adult situations, Bob’s Holiday Office Party is suggested for audiences 16 or older.

Los Angeles Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (Hollywood Bowl)

9.4% of votes

2. ORIGINALS (The Gardenia Club)

9% of votes

3. HAIR (Conundrum Theatre)

4.5% of votes

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