Tired Jokes, Little Energy in ‘Algerian Romance’

Kres Mersky’s Groucho Marx-ist comedy, “Algerian Romance,” at Theatre West, is likely to leave you grouchier than a root canal. This thankfully short but despairingly unfunny tale builds unsteady parallels between patriotism and romantic relations, using a just-ousted dictator of a banana republic, Juan (George Tovar), who hides in the hotel room of a recently jilted American dentist, Bob (Andrew Park).

You might be thinking, “Are there bananas in Algeria?” The play itself is set in a hotel room in a postage-stamp-small Latin American republic called Casa Luna. The title refers to a Middle Eastern phenomenon of giddy goodwill that has spread worldwide.

Director William Mead can’t infuse energy into this mess. Mersky tries too hard. Too much of her humor depends on things that aren’t really so funny anymore. Long Spanish names (Juan Carlos San Diego Avera Mearo Viejo Ofelio Morales Rodriguez) and men in dresses (not particularly unusual in Hollywood) have that been there, nothing new, yawn-inducing effect.

* “Algerian Romance,” Theatre West, 3333 Cahuenga Blvd. West, L.A. Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Ends April 8. $15. (323) 851-7977. Running time: 1 hour, 45 minutes.