Among the many jaw-dropping aspects of Opa! is the news that someone is purportedly taking the Greek musical to Broadway in the future. So slight that even an Off-Off-Broadway theatre dwarfs the proceedings, the show's flimsy charms barely manage to work within the confines of a festival.
Suddenly on the map, the citizens of a tiny Greek island, all adorably quirky, of course, find themselves ecstatic at the prospect of tourists — an occasion that prompts both confessions and bland musical moments. The songs are frequently sung at such a funereal pace that I found myself guessing the next rhyme — with a high rate of success, though I wasn't prepared for note and goat. As widowed crone Xenia, Jan Leslie Harding gives the impression that she has devoured what scenery the bare-bones staging might once have had, while troupers Carolee Goodgold and Deborah Litwak do the best they can with their moldy material. Thankfully, whenever Opa! begins to flag, Michael D. Dionissiou appears on stage in tight white slacks and a skintight polo shirt, leaving no doubt that he is indeed the island's Adonis.
Presented by Double Play Connections and Wild Bird Productions as part of the Midtown International Theatre Festival
at the Barrow Group Theatre, 312 W. 36th St., 3rd fl., NYC.
July 23-Aug. 2. Remaining performances: Fri., July 25, 5 p.m.; Sat, July 26, 2 p.m.; Mon., July 28, 7 p.m.; Wed., July 30, 7 p.m.; Sat., Aug. 2, 2 p.m.; Wed., Aug. 6, 8 p.m.
(212) 279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com.