Larry Shue's 1984 play is a charming, funny, feel-good affair, perfect for the holiday season, and it's currently getting a splendid production at the Rep, under Edward Stern's spot-on direction.
Everything takes place at Betty Meeks's fishing lodge in small town Georgia. Englishman Charlie Baker (John Scherer) needs a little time away from the grind of his life. His wife is ill and hospitalized back home, and in addition to nursing her, he's tired of his job as a proofreader for science-fiction magazines, so his buddy "Froggy" (Brent Langdon) has taken him to the lodge for a little rest and relaxation. Froggy, an ammunitions expert in the military, has become good friends with Betty, the owner of the lodge, and this getaway has become one of Froggy's favorite places. The thing is though, Charlie is painfully shy and rather uninteresting. His wife once described him as being "shatteringly boring". Ouch!! She's not the most faithful wife in the world, but Charlie still loves her. He's also terrified of conversation, so in order to try to spare his friend of the possible horrors that interaction might bring, Froggy tells Betty that Charlie is from another country and doesn't understand English. He figures that way, everyone will leave him alone.
