Not that diehard fans of Dreyfuss will be disappointed; his vulpine Foxwell J. Sly is thoroughly competent. Sly's con -- which Gelbart based on Ben Jonson's "Volpone" -- is to convince three rich San Franciscans in the late 1800s to give him their gold with the assurance that he'll be leaving it to them once he kicks the bucket, which he also convinces them will be any day now. Shades of Max Bialystock in "The Producers," Dreyfuss's next stage role.
As the comedy begins, Dreyfuss conspires with his indentured servant played by Stoltz with a sing-song, what-am-I-doing-here delivery. He's matched in woodenness by Berkley, cast against "Showgirls" type as a virgin bride.
There's no such lack of presence from the rest of the supporting cast. Corey's few lines bring down the house. Scolari's lusty policeman is hysterical in the second act. Dishy brings his usual Borscht Belt flair as Sly's accountant. Pinchot as a sleazy lawyer comes alive when he mounts Sly's defense in the second act. Auberjonois is such a great old coot that his claim to have been declared dead while taking a nap is thoroughly believable, particularly when he falls asleep after York puts his hand down her dress.
That, incidentally, is typical of the humor in "Sly Fox," which has been described as a satire worthy of the age of Enron. But one has to do more than show greed to lay claim to satire of contemporary mores.
Dreyfuss is closer to the truth in describing "Sly Fox" as a combination 17th-century play and Friar's Club Roast. Gelbart's lines are clever, recalling his dialogue from the musical, "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," or the television series he helped create, "M*A*S*H." But the jabs at lawyers and the nonstop sexual innuendoes might have been naughty in the era of Johnny Carson monologues. They feel quite tame in the age of HBO shows.
And for a comedy about unbridled greed, Dreyfuss seems too reined in. His greatest comic appearances -- "Down and Out in Beverly Hills" and "What About Bob?" -- have been as a straight man. Here he needs to be the take-charge man instead of the emcee for his costars. His big farcical moment should be when he chases Berkley around the room, but the timing isn't all it should be as yet. Perhaps it will be by the time it moves to Broadway on March 12.
Dreyfuss also plays the judge in a saloon turned courtroom in the penultimate scene. Despite his Wile E. Coyote look and demeanor, it's Scolari, Corey, and Pinchot who make this the best part of the show. Give him credit for getting out of their way, but if "Sly Fox" means to make an impact, Dreyfuss -- and Stoltz -- need to deliver more bang to justify all the bucks the audience is paying.
("Sly Fox"; Play in two acts by Larry Gelbart; At the Shubert Theatre, through March 7; 800-447-7400.)
Ed Siegel can be reached at siegel@globe.com.
