This year like so many others in the past, Dale Gutzman's Off The Wall Theatre presents its annual musical comedy revue, "Holiday Punch." Song and dance numbers mix with that special Gutzman wit which has become so popular with a small but loyal group of people. Gutzman fans can expect more of the same safe, mildly irreverent humor that has made "Punch," such a success over the years.

The show takes comedic jabs at "Star Wars," "Grease," "The Sound of Music," next month's gay cowboy drama, "Brokeback Mountain," this month's "King Kong," local theatre and even the avian flu. With all this and more, Gutzman clearly has fingers firmly planted somewhere in the general vicinity of the pulse of rapidly decaying fashions in contemporary pop culture. Gutzman is accompanied by almost a dozen (or possibly more) others in a show that ends up being a lot more fun than many of its individual moments.

This year's "Holiday Punch" is a comedic scattershot: a mix of fun, easy humor and breezy music. Good moments shine out of long stretches of mild, innocuously offensive comedy. When "Punch '05" is bad, it's usually painful. The sight of Gutzman in a dress and a wig during the, "Sound Of Music" parody is only funny if you're REALLY in the right mood for it. I can't imagine what mood that would be, but many of the people around me were clearly in it, as much of opening night went over extremely well.

For the uninitiated, most of the night plays out like a pleasantly forgettable evening of comedy that doesn't take too many chances accompanied by music which whisks away the evening, leaving no discernable trace the following morning. And so it goes. The "Sound of Music," bit shrugs into a lowbrow comedy sketch about Norwegians which slouches into a few sentimental moments. A film parody bit slides into a musical thing set in Mexico before napping into intermission. Somewhere in Act Two, Larry Lukasavage, dressed in a bird outfit hands you a med cup full of sauerkraut and you lazily knock it back. This is a pleasantly tolerable Christmas with Off The Wall.

But if you've been to Off The Wall before, you know that there are brilliant moments in any of its productions which stand out from the rest of the show. Halfway into the second act, a tiny pope action figure is squeezed, issuing forth some sort of wisdom from its plastic bowels, followed by a catchy musical routine. The routine in question is "Coffee In A Cardboard Cup." Performed by Karl Miller and Samantha Rise-Roberson, the song and dance number is one of the most memorable bits in the entire show. Miller is a considerable comedic talent who eventually manages to raise the quality of most of the material he has to perform. Rise-Robeson puts in a solid performance throughout the show, as her comedic acting prowess is accompanied by one hell of an impressive singing voice. Off The Wall's resident Brit David Roper is a great deal of fun in the more casual bits of comedy he delivers. His intro to the "Grease," parody was subtly hilarious in its brevity, which can not be said of the rest of the skit. Kristen Pagenkopf manages one of the best performances in the entire, "Grease" parody, but she's given very little to do for most of the rest of the show. Her comedic talents are coupled by briefly dazzling dance performances in a couple of bits that suggest that she'd excel in more physically demanding roles as well.

With occasionally perfect bits of timing, chemistry and rapport developing between the cast, it's a pity Gutzman isn't challenged to do a free-wheeling variety show like this more often. With better material and a more cohesive chemistry between all the performers onstage, it would end up being one of the best comedic tickets in town.

Holiday Punch 2005 plays now through December 31st at the Off The Wall Theatre. Tickets range in price from $22-$30 and can be purchased by calling the box office at (414) 327-3552.

4 comments about this article. Post a comment / write a review.

Recent Talkbacks ...

Posted by OMCreader on Dec. 25, 2005 at 11:04 p.m. (report)

Wrong "Holiday;" Wrong Set said: I believe C. Schaeffer’s comment about set decorations is aimed at another show called “Holiday”--no other word connected to it. If so, and if I’m thinking of the correct show that the writer did see, they missed the point of the limited Christmas decorations and the sparse tree. I’m certain it was intentional and meant to reflect the Spartan personality of its homeowner.

Posted by OMCreader on Dec. 21, 2005 at 9:15 a.m. (report)

David K said: I am in complete agreement with you David. I have not even seen the show yet, but I've seen the set and it's extremely festive. When I was at the theatre last night I found myself looking around for the tree, and wondered where it was hidden. I honestly wonder if the commenter is perhaps confusing shows.

Posted by OMCreader on Dec. 20, 2005 at 9:33 p.m. (report)

David Roper said: As the set desinger, I am confused by your comment. There was no Christmas tree at all. The set was decorated in black red and gold, very much in the Christmas spirit if not exactly traditional, but then Off the Wall theatre is not a traditional company. Perhaps you were at a different show.

Posted by OMCreader on Dec. 20, 2005 at 11:01 a.m. (report)

C Schaeffer said: Good performances, but would it have hurt them to DECORATE the set in the "HOLIDAY" spirit?? One sparsely trimmed Christmas tree off in a back corner of set did NOT do it! Come on - this was a Christmastime performance even if the title meant "HOLIDAY" in the carefree, "VACATION" sense.