Illustration by Bret Schlesinger

Today's high profile corporate hucksters can trace their con games back to 1606 when Ben Jonson wrote his dark comedy "Volpone".  Convinced that greed and sex are just as funny now, Larry Gelbart created his 1976 adaptation , based on a 1928 German version by Stephen Sveig, and "Sly Fox" starred the memorable George C. Scott.  Still tweaking the play, this updated version is now set in California's Goldrush days.  Gelbart has infused the play's 17^th century humor with zinging one liners and show biz shtick drawn from his experience as a gag writer for Sid Caesar, Bob Hope and George Burns.

The convoluted plot's intricate structure barrels along with comic turns by an extraordinary cast.  The rich but miserly con artist Foxwell J. Sly (Richard Dreyfus), on pretense of being near death, squeezes gifts, flattery and whatever else they have to offer from his business associates and " friends" hinting that they night become his sole heir.  And what a motley crew they are.  There is Rene Auberjonois, who, aptly named, assumes the position of his name, Jethro Crouch ("its all in the knees" he boasts) as an ancient tight fisted, randy appraiser who signs over out his own son's inheritance to Fox.  Bob Dishy, (recreating the same role he played in 1976) is Sly's anxious business partner, Abner Truckle, who, although pathologically jealous and protective, is desperate enough to deliver his beautiful but innocent wife (Elizabeth Berkley) as Sly's "nurse" .  Bronson Pinchot, is the spastic Lawyer Craven, so driven with desire at the thought of all that money he is not above simulating sex atop the chest of money near Fox's bed.  Blatantly sexy Rachel York is Miss Fancy, the self-described "pleasure engineer" who wants Fox to declare paternity of her forthcoming baby thus assuring his wealth.  The inimitable " Professor" Irwin Corey, cameos as an addle pated court stenographer (who's slow motion recording get huge laughs), and Peter Scolari, flings himself at every female as an out of control, oversexed police chief.  Fox' s servant and accomplice SImon Able proves the ultimate "sly fox", however, the good looking, mild mannered Eric Stoltz seems more accomodating than duplicitious, though victory is ultimately his.

The versatile Richard Dreyfus coughs and sputters his way through the title role and as the lunatic Judge who presides over Sly's trial, a send up of law and disorder in the Old West.  According to Gelbart, Dreyfus is " devilish" where Scott was "dark and dangerous" in the role.  The equally versatile Jenkins/Poleshuck set has a bit more polish than the production it houses.

The superb cast represents a rapidly disappearing group of actors steeped in vaudevillian tradition and body language and Arthur Penn, who directed the '78 version, leaves them largely unleashed.  As a result the play diminishes to a series of funny but disjointed comic cameos, more physical than cerebral, played as broadly as possible.  In addition, despite the luxury of again having Penn at the helm, the voyage is off course as today's sensibilities are far different, even from those of the 70's.  Misogynistic pre feminist themes run against the grain (trading in on a wife's beauty, selling out a son's inheritance, blackmailing a man into marriage) and archaic, over the top caricatures, while admirable, no longer define humor.  However, there were many in the house who overlooked the basic cruelty of this old fashioned, wicked farce and their laughs were loud and often.

Ethel Barrymore Theater, 243 West 47 Street, 212 239-6343