Show flies, but doesn’t soar
Sketch comedy brings whimsy to off-Broadway
THE Tziporela company comes from Tel Aviv, which gives its sketch comedy a distinct accent. That has nothing to do with language, mind you. Performed in English, the troupe’s off-Broadway show “Odd Birdz” is distinctive for its thickly applied whimsy.
Most skits revolve around zany characters. Some are recurring, like the singing duo plagued by miscommunication and the couple complaining about the show from their orchestra seats.
Others pop up only once, which is a good thing when the scene is as labored as the one in which a tourist is harassed by flamboyantly campy customs officers. Like many of the entries, this one goes on way too long. It’s the kind of onejoke effort “SNL” saves for its DOA last halfhour.
A director may have helped whip the show into tighter shape by editing the material and giving the cast more focus.
Some performers do stand out. The dashing Ben Perry looks like a fourth Musketeer with his goatee — he can play the guitar, too! — while Efrat Aviv is the funniest of the bunch, with a wideeyed, elastic face and a natural gift for slapstick.
Indeed, the show’s best moments are the ones in which the jokes are visual rather than verbal. In “The Talk Show,” a host and her guest wordlessly mimic a pseudochummy conversation while music plays over the end credits. “Pac Men” is a gleefully silly reenactment of the arcade game, com plete with sound effects and “ghosts” in white bodysuits.
Though the overall goofiness suggests this might be a good show for kids, parents should know there’s quite a bit of profanity. Another case where those “Odd Birdz” would have been better off keeping their beaks shut.