Bob’s Holiday Office Party by Joe Keyes and Rob Elk – The Character of Marty created by Mark Fite

L-R:  Peter Breitmayer, Rob Elk, Joe Keyes, Judy Heneghan, Chloe Taylor, Johanna McKay, Andrea Hutchman, Pat Towne, and Mark Fite - Photo by Marissa Drammissi

By Joe Straw

Tradition means a lot and coming back for tradition feels like home.  This is the fourth time that I’ve seen Bob’s Holiday Office Party and each time it gets funnier and funnier. Tonight’s house was sold out and the patrons came prepared in all their holiday get up.  I particularly like the sparkling red shoes a woman wore on this night.

Bob’s Holiday Office Party written by Rob Elk and Joe Keyes, produced by Julian McMahon, Charlie Loventhal, Joe Keyes & Rob Elk is now playing at The Beverly Hills Playhouse through December 18, 2022

Bob Finhead E-Z Insurance Agency in Neuterburg, Iowa has been closed for some hours now. It is Friday night and the clock on the wall suggests a time of three minutes past midnight before Bob Finhead (Rob Elk) enters the office with a recent purchase of beer.

And, at a quick glance, the office has been fully prepared with Christmas decorations throughout. The chairs are draped in Santa Claus costumes, the walls are plastered with lifted grade school decorations, and a diminutive unevenly decorated Christmas tree stands hidden behind the couch near the record player which is later used for some satisfying holiday tunes.

Nigh, in the middle of the office is a big apple bobbin’ bucket of ice with canned alcoholic liquid refreshments that will be consumed during the party.

Still chained to the office, Bob enters the establishment and hesitantly answers a ringing telephone. Like a good neighbor he helps anyone in need.  And he does so on this night to backdate an insurance document.  He thanks his mother before saying goodnight.

Sheriff Joe Walker (Joe Keyes) enters the office ready to party.  He’s out of uniform, the victim of the contents of someone’s stomach.  All that remains of any type of authority is a badge he wears near his right side of his belt. Aside from a couple of people injuring themselves to the point of death it has been a slow day for law enforcement.

Joe, with red kerchief in his right back pocket, has the need to go.  He moves the unhinged door, drops his pants, and sit on the toilet straining and then blames Bob for his out-openness on the door he refuses to fix.

Joe wipes once, confidently, lifts his pants, walks into the office, cleans his hands on a large chunk of ice, and spins his red kerchief to dry his hands.

In an optimistic turn of events Bob tells Joe that he is going away to go to an inventing college, something he’s always wanted to do.  Case in point he demonstrates his invention: the clapper crapper as the toilet flushes.  

Now, this doesn’t sit too well with Joe. Understanding tradition as he does, he is a little offended by this sudden turn of events.  One might say angry, so Joe brings up Margie Mincer (Andrea Hutchman) and their clandestine meetings in the back of the Nic Nack Nook. Bob consistently denies that anything other than a friendship is at play. Still, it’s a sudden jolt down Bob Finhead’s spine.

That aside, Joe wants to get the party started and decides to find the others who are not there yet, on this the holiest of nights, and leaves for the time being.

Meanwhile Mayor Roy Mincer (Pat Towne) arrives but tells Bob he can’t stay too long he has to take care of a male house guest before they leave his wife and go on vacation. Hmmm? But, before Roy leaves, he also hints or wants to know Bob’s relationship with his wife Margie. Again, Bob denies everything.

Things are getting a little hot for Bob Finhead and he seriously starts thinking about the inventor’s college when Elwin Bewee (Peter Breitmayer) steps into his office. Elwin, formally known as Stinky, now a rich man comes back to Neuterburg espousing his highfalutin ideas about his life and his money.

But, to get to the point, Elwin presents Bob with a contract to buy out his business.  Bob’s eyes light up to the thirty-five thousand dollars offer but he says he must think about it because the party has not even started yet.  

Bob’s Holiday Office Party is a wonderful treat for the holidays.  It is raucous, raunchy, and riotous affair, and a whole lot of fun. There’s something new to find each year in each presentation.

Matt Roth, the director, brings all the backstory’s elements to the fore and then some. More focus should be assigned to the reason Bob signs the contract. What exactly pushes him over the edge?  Secondly, what is the moment when Bob discovers that he is home? These two moments highlighted and specific might add a little extra to an already exceptional show well directed endeavor.

L-R: Front Chloe Taylor, Rob Elk, Andrea Hutchman,  Rear: Pat Towne, Johanna  , Judy Heneghan, Mark Fite, Joe Keyes and  Peter Breitmayer (at Door)

Rob Elk is fantastic as Bob Finhead. Essentially, it’s about Bob wanting a change.  He is chasing a dream but living a life that has not given him the satisfaction that he so longs.  Just going through life, making do, selling insurance, scraping by, taking care of others when he has dreams of inventing that one big thing that is going to make him lots of money.  So, well, maybe it’s about the money. In the beginning, not much fazes Bob, scores of accusations are thrown his way with a little more than a brush off, but these things are settled in his decision to move elsewhere, to seek other opportunities before he discovers something unique to him. It is a grand holiday ending and a very noteworthy performance.

Joe Keyes is also exceptional as Sheriff Joe Walker.  He is also stuck in a quagmire, and this is his holiday release with his wife stuck in a trailer.  And does he ever have the time of his life through this party. He seriously does not want this holiday tradition to end, so he does his best to keep things the way they are if it means creating conflict.

Pat Towne gives us a different flavor as Mayor Roy Mincer.  It is different than the other Mayors but exceptional just as well.  And this character has a different ending than I don’t remember seeing in other productions. He makes a confession at the end the others seem to ignore or nods their heads in a generous love confirmation.

Peter Breitmayer presents us with another flavor as Elwin Bewee.  His performance is remarkable and captures the truly holiday foil of rich man wanting to take over everything.

Mark Fite gives us his all as Marty.  The remarkable thing about his performance is his ability to communicate with everyone on stage. No person is left out as he negotiates his communication skills with one character before moving on to the next.

Andrea Hutchman is back again as Margie Mincer, and she is just as marvelous. The orange tint to her face reminds one of a past elected official and one wonders if they visit the same salon. Everyone seems to ignore the orange glow, maybe it’s something she does often. One wonders how each would react if this were an uncommon event. There was a little something extra in her ending, a longing that could not be ignored. And that made all the difference in the world.

One also gets a kick out of Sirena Irwin’s performance as Carol and Brandy.  Irwin is a physically gifted actor that seems to fly all over the place. It is the highlight of the show, and one can’t wait to see her come in Bob’s office both as Carol and as Brandy.

Each year there is something new.  This year Judy Heneghan as LaDonna Johnson and Johanna McKay as LaVoris Johnson bring in “Joe Biden” to their rant.  The two Maga wearing conservative, now in elf suits, attack Obama as well while decorating a Cheese Wiz Christmas tree with olives, pickles, and bits of cheese. (LaVoris is an interesting name for a mouthwash.) Each are very exceptionally funny throughout.

J.P. Manoux (Elwin Bewee) and Chloe Taylor (Carol/Brandy) did not perform the night I was there.

The other member of the crew are as follows:

Amanda Knehans – Set Designer

McLoed Benson – Lighting Designer

Marissa Drammissi – Production Stage Manager

Sandra Kuker PR – Sandra Kuker-Franco – Publicity

Run! Run! Run! And take someone who loves to laugh.