IF YOU GO:What: Lucky StiffWhere: Syracuse Stage, 820 East Genesee St.When: Oct. 5-17How Much: Students: $16, Adults: $18

Though ‘Lucky Stiff’ literally starts with a bang, by the second act, it’s all fizzle.

The SU drama department’s first show of the season is a musical farce based on the book ‘The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo.’ Thoughtless and silly, the show on Syracuse Stage until Oct. 17 relies on show-stopping numbers and layered chaos to make up for the skimpy plot.

That chaos begins when Harry Witherspoon, a bored and lonely shoe salesman from England, is bequeathed $6 million in his uncle’s will. Of course, a sum like that doesn’t come without some sort of catch.

Witherspoon (played by Michael Howell, a junior musical theater major) must escort the stuffed corpse of his Uncle Anthony, a New Jersey man whom he had never met, through Monte Carlo on the lavish vacation of his uncle’s dreams. Howell keeps the tension strong, always playing the anxious nephew.

If Witherspoon fails to fulfill the terms of the will, the $6 million inheritance will go to the Universal Dog Home of Brooklyn.

Vowing never to allow such a fortune go to waste – he really hates dogs – Witherspoon sets off on the vacation with his stuffed uncle in tow. Taking instructions from a cassette player around his uncle’s neck, Witherspoon finds the finest hotel, hides a mysterious heart-shaped box and starts living the good life in Monte Carlo.

Meanwhile, Anabelle Glick (Catherine Charlebois, a junior musical theater major), the frumpy and determined representative from the Universal Dog Home of Brooklyn, is dogging Witherspoon’s every move, waiting for him to violate the terms of the will.

Still, the confusion is not enough to keep the plot moving.

Enter Rita LaPorta (Nadine Malouf, a junior musical theater major), and her brother Vinnie DiRuzzio (Gordon Maniskas, a senior in the College of Visual and Performing Arts). It turns out that Rita, who had been having an affair with Uncle Anthony, embezzled $6 million in diamonds from her husband and blamed it on her brother.

LaPorta is something of a comic backbone for the show, and Malouf plays her character up right. As over the top as she can get without being ridiculous, Malouf steals the attention every time she steps on stage.

By the second act, everyone heads over to Monte Carlo to let the chase begin. The rest of the show is a combination of mishaps and mayhem with a few less-than-thrilling twists.

If the play itself wasn’t exactly rousing, it was definitely not the cast’s fault. The actors were brilliant through all the ridiculous predicaments. The voices were nothing less than fantastic, managing the demanding vocals with apparent ease. There were even a few swift dance moves here and there.

Malouf, as Rita LaPorta, was especially impressive. She transitioned seamlessly between a nasal Jersey-girl accent and a powerhouse singing voice. She was completely devoted to her character, which made her not only believable but hilarious.

Malouf’s work didn’t stand alone. Howell, the male lead, showed real talent, making his anxious and one-dimensional character loveable during the show. The audience rooted for him through all the chasing and confusion. Even Brody Hessin, who played the stuffed uncle, executed his role with surprising believability.

Being able to play over-the-top characters to the hilt without losing any of the performance value is arguably the most difficult part of a farce, but this cast had no trouble at all. They were exactly as they should have been: believable, talented and entertaining.

If the show dragged or lost its interest, it was because of the plot.

Still, the cast and crew managed to make the best of it. With some serious attention to detail and a little spectacle, they kept the show going. The choreography was crisp and sharp, which helped the slow second act move along, and the few special effects really added something to the production value.

‘Lucky Stiff’ may not be a show to remember, and the song may not have stuck in the audience’s ear. It may not change you or engage you; it won’t even make you think if you don’t want to, but it’s frivolous and funny and for one night, at least, entertaining.

Published on October 7, 2007 at 12:00 pm