By Jenny Sandman

Brian Dykstra and Mark Boyett in A Play on Words

A Play on Words is—well, a play on words (not to get too cute about it). It's almost more of a discussion on semantics than it is a play. Fortunately, playwright Brian Dykstra and Mark Boyett are good enough actors to keep the heady dialogue from feeling bogged down.

There's not much of a story. Two suburban neighbors greet each other and then spend the next ninety minutes debating various points of language: does axiom mean the same as maxim? From whence does the phrase "I don't give a hang" come? Did Rusty (Mark Boyett) mean entomology or etymology?

Both men seem to thrive on the give and take. Rusty especially seems the garrulous type we all know, who'll spend hours working a crossword puzzle or beating his friends at Scrabble with completely obscure words.

For all the semantics discussions, Play on Words is snappier than it sounds. The pace is quick, the exchanges are often humorous, and it turns out Max (Brian Dykstra) has an ulterior motive, involving an upcoming political rally.

Dykstra and Boyett have great chemistry and have obviously worked together before, as has director Margarett Perry. Their combined energy keeps the play aloft and made me sorry to hav missed their previous efforts.

Ultimately, however, even Dykstra's deft hand with dialogue can't avoid the play's coming off more like a clever classroom exercise than a play. There's simply not enough weight to it, and even at ninety minutes it's too long. In short: Clever, yes; significant, no. That said, not every play needs to be meaningful as long as it's entertaining and when it comes to the latter, Play on Words does its job well.

A Play on Words Written by Brian Dykstra Directed by Margarett Perry With Brian Dykstra (Max) and Mark Boyett (Rusty) Set Design: Kelly Syring Lighting Design: E.D. Intemann Sound Design: Nate Richardson Costume Design: Hannah Kochman Running Time: 90 minutes with no intermission A Twilight Theatre Company presentation of a Kitchen Theatre Company production at 59E59 Theatre; 59 East 59th Street, 212-279-4200 Tickets $18 Tuesday at 7:30 PM, Wednesday - Saturday at 8:30 PM and Sunday at 3:30 PM May 13 — May 30 Reviewed by Jenny Sandman based on May 17th performance

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