Don't Drink the Water is a play written by Woody Allen that premiered on Broadway on November 17, 1966 and played for 598 performances at three different Broadway theaters.[1] The farce takes place inside an American Embassy behind the Iron Curtain. Although Allen contributed material for the 1960 Broadway musical revue From A to Z, this was Allen's first professionally produced play.[2][3] A movie version was released three years later starring Jackie Gleason, and Woody Allen both directed and played the lead in a 1994 television rendition featuring Michael J. Fox.
The cast included Lou Jacobi, Kay Medford and Anita Gillette as the Hollander family. Tony Roberts and Donna Mills were also in the cast.[4] Richard Libertini also appeared, as Father Drobney, and reprised the role in the 1969 theatrical version.
According to the book Conversations with Woody Allen by Eric Lax, Allen says that Vivian Vance, who he thought was wrong for the part, was originally cast but was replaced by Kay Medford, whom he believes brought the character to life.
The production was directed by Stanley Prager and produced by David Merrick with Charles H. Joffe and Jack Rollins.
In an unnamed European country behind the Iron Curtain, the American Ambassador must leave the Embassy for business. In his absence he places his incompetent son Axel Magee in charge. Almost immediately the Embassy is thrust into a crisis as the Hollanders, an American family of tourists, come rushing in on the run from the Communist police. Walter, the father, had accidentally snuck into a high security area and taken pictures, causing the communists to believe that the family are spies. Axel digs the hole deeper and the embassy is surrounded, leaving the Hollanders trapped.
The parents, Walter and Marion, act buffoonish and make business at the embassy hard, especially after Walter insults a high-class sultan. The family's adult daughter Susan bonds with Axel, causing him to develop feelings for her despite the fact that she is engaged. After the mess with the Sultan, Axel's father demotes him and puts his suck-up assistant Kilroy in charge instead. Kilroy almost immediately fixes the problem and arranges an exchange for a communist spy in jail in America. The communist police head Krojack still believes that the Hollanders are spies and confronts Walter. Walter, assuming that he is free, jokingly admits that he is. Kilroy then announces that the exchange has been called off. Krojack plans to increase the hostilities against the embassy. Susan, who has recently announced her engagement has been called off, and Axel kiss, to Walter's horror.
There are now riots outside the embassy but Walter is much more preoccupied by Axel and Susan's relationship. Axel and Susan come up with a plan to escape by using a party in the Sultan's honor as a cover while Father Drobney, a priest in the embassy, works out the details. Walter is given a gun for the escape and accidentally shoots and wounds Kilroy. During the party Walter and Marion go through several problems, mainly due to screwing up their own secret identities. Once finally making it out Walter accidentally shoots someone again-Axel's father. The escape has failed...until Axel discovers the Sultan and his wife are still in the house. Disguising Walter and Marion as the couple, they plan to continue with the original escape. As for Susan, Axel plans to give her diplomatic immunity as the wife of a diplomat: him! Walter and Marion escape as Father Drobney marries Axel and Susan.
This play is a comedy, housing many ironic characters. Such as the slightly crazy chef, unpleaseable Walter and Axel Magee himself, being a notorious screwup.