Oh, if only Wisconsin winters were as quick and enjoyable as Guys on Ice, a send-up of ice fishing currently playing at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. A favorite of the past two seasons, Guys on Ice returns with the same endearing cornpone humor that audiences have grown to love. There's Marvin (Doug Mancheski) and Lloyd (Scott Wakefield), losers in life (perhaps represented by the fact they never seem to get a nibble during the entire show). But they are kings of their fish shanty domain, telling tales, sharing secrets and dreams.
The play begins, appropriately, with a bone-chilling weather forecast: it's minus 36 degrees, and the roads are slick. For Marvin and Lloyd, it's a perfect day to escape to the shanty, where they're surrounded by bait, beer and, unfortunately, a pesky interloper referred to as Ernie the Moocher (Lee Becker). The plot may be too thin to support much weight, but it's engaging enough to keep our attention between the songs. The tunes which range from rock n' roll to folk ballads are all first-rate, especially a show-stopping tribute to the dependable snowmobile suit.
Choreography is clever but hokey; it's enough to make Bob Fosse spin in his grave. This is Scott Wakefield's first appearance as Lloyd, and he makes the character more charming and animated than the original Lloyd, played by co-author Fred Alley. Both Wakefield and Mancheski have fine voices, which are allowed to shine if briefly during the hilarious musical numbers. Mancheski has excellent comedic gifts, which are showcased throughout the performance. He knows the show so intimately that the appropriately placed double-take, or wait-a-minute-until-the-joke-sinks-in pause, brings gales of laughter from the audience. The actor I feel sorry for is Lee Becker, whose lackluster character is so sketchily drawn that he isn't interesting, only irritating.
What makes Guys on Ice such a treat is not its frequent local references to the Green Bay Packers or Door County, but its simplicity. These are two blue-collar guys who just want to have fun.
Production values are minimal. The set, by James Maronek, is nothing more than (simulated) corrugated metal, orange crates and crumpled beer cans. It wouldn't be a surprise to learn that the costumes (by Neen Rock) were courtesy of Goodwill. Although this is billed as the show's "farewell tour," one can only hope that, like the endless Wisconsin winters, Guys on Ice returns to warm our hearts once more.
