Images: 
Total Rating: 
***
Opened: 
October 10, 1991
Ended: 
May 1, 1994
Country: 
USA
State: 
New York
City: 
New York
Theater Type: 
off-Broadway
Theater: 
Lamb's Theater
Genre: 
Comedy
Author: 
James Sherman
Director: 
Dennis Zacek
Review: 

Old-fashioned, schematic, but undeniably warm and funny, it’s the story of a nice Jewish girl who tries to fool her nosy jewish mother by hiring a male escort to play her perfect doctor/boyfriend.

Ultimately, author James Sherman relies on too many sitcom quick-fixes, but the family Sabbath and Seder scenes are gems of ethnic comedy. A revisit (Jan. 1993) to this goy-meets-girl hit shows the play hasn’t lost a single laugh or an ounce of charm. I used to compare Beau Jest to Come Blow Your Horn-era Neil Simon; now I think of it as a Seder -- something to visit annually for a renewal of ethnic joy and fellowship. 

Critic: 
David Lefkowitz
Date Reviewed: 
January 1993