Charming ‘Foreigner’ Is No Stranger to Laughs

One reason for the frequent revivals of Larry Shue’s 1983 comedy “The Foreigner” is the ensemble opportunity afforded by its varied and well-defined oddball characters. Another reason, of course, is that it’s just plain hilarious. Director Henry Polic II parlays both of these strengths into an unusually sharp staging at Actors Co-op, striking a lively balance between satire and warm-hearted affection for human foibles.

In the title role, Ted Rooney’s thin, hangdog features and self-conscious mannerisms are picture-perfect for Charlie, the shy Englishman coaxed into vacationing at a remote Georgia hunting lodge to escape his adulterous wife, a dead-end job as a science-fiction proofreader and, worst of all, his complete lack of a personality.

In Rooney’s assured transformation, Charlie unexpectedly finds a personality handed to him piece by piece, courtesy of the locals who mistakenly believe he speaks no English. Selling this improbable premise with style and finesse, the seamless cast includes Catherine Simms as a gullible debutante overdue for an eye-opening; Stephen Van Dorn as her slow-witted brother, who blossoms under Charlie’s encouragement; Marc Elmer as her conniving fiance; and John Allsopp as a sullen bigot with ties to the Ku Klux Klan.

Within Shue’s rich array of characters, every production of “The Foreigner” seems to have its own standout, and here Brenda Ballard positively twinkles with endearing spunk as the ditsy proprietor.

First-rate production values (including some dazzling special effects) also help minimize the plot’s sillier elements and keep the focus right where it should be--on the play’s enduring, good-natured charm.

BE THERE

“The Foreigner,” Crossley Theatre, 1760 N. Gower St., Hollywood. Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2:30 p.m. Ends May 21. $17. (323) 462-8460. Running time: 2 hours, 40 minutes.