Ich comprenez usted

The plot summary for The Foreigner, a comic farce by the late playwright Larry Shue, has completely changed how I'm going to approach my next vacation. In the play, Charlie Baker is a shy man who travels with a friend to rural Georgia and pretends to be a foreigner who...

By Jesse Hughey

April 3, 2008

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The plot summary for The Foreigner, a comic farce by the late playwright Larry Shue, has completely changed how I'm going to approach my next vacation. In the play, Charlie Baker is a shy man who travels with a friend to rural Georgia and pretends to be a foreigner who can't understand a word of English. Things get complicated when the locals begin confiding in him, and hilarity ensues. I'm guessing that Charlie's deception turns out to be more trouble than it's worth. That isn't going to stop me from trying it. "Sir, I don't work here. You'll have to carry your own bags," someone might say, and I'll just smile and nod and keep walking until they give up and go along with it. Or they might say, "Sir, you can't drink here." I'll just smile and nod and mumble some vaguely Mediterranean-sounding gobbledygook. And if my gratuities are a bit stingy, well, how am I supposed to know what's appropriate? The Foreigner runs through April 27 at the Addison Theatre Centre, 15650 Addison Road. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $20 to $30. Call 972-450-6232 or visit WaterTowerTheatre.org.
Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m.; Wednesdays, Thursdays, 7:30 p.m. Starts: April 4. Continues through April 27, 2008

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