Critique Of "Dont Drink The Water"

Critique "Don't Drink The Water" was written by Woody Allen in 1966. Its about a New Jersey family who took a trip to Russia and was caught taking pictures of secret installations on accident and was accused of being spies. While being chased by the secret police they sought refuge in the United States embassy. The family is forced to live in the embassy with a halfwit son of the ambassador who took control while his father is away and Father Drobney played by Will Simpson which he play very well asked for an asylum from the Russians seven years back.

The set was very realistic above the desk was an authentic looking U.S. embassy seal and a chandelier that looked as if it came from that era. The walls were made of dry wall and paneling on the bottom which made it look very elegant. The props weren't all that great it seemed that both secret police officer Kilroy (John Mirarchi) and Walter Hollander (Tyler Parsons) had the same guns.

J.G. Smith, Lily Smith, Walter Brickett (LOC)

Walter Winans [with Mt. Sheep head trophies] (LOC...

Walter

The costumes on the other hand were excellent. I especially enjoyed the Sultan of Bashir's (Adrian Rodriguez) white silk robe with a spotted headdress.

In Act: Two Scene: Two one of the Russian rioters threw a bomb into the office where both appointed ambassador Axel Magee (Caleb Clemons) and Walter defused the bomb and threw it out the window. What confused me most of that part was that Axel knew how to defuse it. When Axel threw it out it made a loud bang sounding as if it actually went off. The lights flickered, the chandelier shook and both Axel and Walter fell to the ground. This was my favorite part of the play. Also towards the end when the Hollander family try to escape while there was a party for the Sultan they were given a weapon for protection when they got out they shot the real ambassador in the leg and fled back in the embassy. The gunshot was so loud that everyone I saw jumped out of their seats.

The acting was for the most part very good except Axel he tended to mumble and mess up lines. Ingrid (Jenna Dalbey) the chef played one of the most hilarious roles in the play Walter constantly insulted her cooking abilities for that instead of chicken Walter ended up eating rabbit. All though everyone enjoyed Father Drobney antics I thought it was a bit corny. All and all I believe this play was worth seeing and I gave it a respectable nine out of ten.

English: Woody Allen in concert in New York City.

English: US embassy in Moscow

US embassy in Bratislava