‘Viagara Falls’ spews weak tea

Sitcom stalwarts featured in a flat comedy of sex and the single geezer

BY MICHAEL SOMMERS

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

OFF BROADWAY REVIEW

A living room farce about older gents and that little blue pill, "Viagara Falls" tries to be frisky but proves only a limp thing at the Little Shubert Theatre.

Opening on Wednesday, the feeble comedy stars sitcom stalwarts Bernie Kopell (the doctor from "The Love Boat") and Lou Cutell (best known as the proctologist in that "Assman" episode of "Seinfeld").

They respectively depict nice guys Moe and Charley, longtime pals ever since the Korean War, who are now widowed neighbors on Long Island.

Charley celebrates his 77th birthday by hiring a hooker. Perkily played by Teresa Ganzel, the lady is a busty middle-aged blonde happy to oblige a reluctant Moe and a quivering Charley.

That's about it story-wise for "Viagara Falls," a flimsy effort co-written by Joao Machado with Cutell. Otherwise expect spotty bits of humor more derived from male aging ("An all-nighter for me is not getting up to take a pee!") and physical ills ("The cancer finally went into remission when I looked at the deductible!") rather than anything funny regarding sex and the single geezer.

An uneasy breath of mortality that later intrudes does not add drama to the 90-minute proceedings. The actors are game but "Viagara Falls" is merely weak tea desperate to be froth.

Formerly the star dancer on "The Carol Burnett Show," Don Crichton flatly stages the play with not especially nice clothes by Bob Mackie, Burnett's genius in the costume shop. The ads for the show, by the way, carry a ringing celebrity endorsement from you-know-who.

"Viagara Falls" continues an open-end run at the Little Shubert Theatre, 422 W. 42nd St., New York. Call (212) 239-6200 or visit www.telecharge.com.