Plenty of skilled writers -- from Moliere to Preston Sturges -- have managed to blend farce and drama in such a way that we laugh ourselves silly while absorbing a little something about human nature. But in Mayo Simon's semi-autobiographical play Greek Holiday, now being given its New York premiere by the Abingdon Theatre Company, the playwright flops from one genre to the other so vertiginously, it's hard to know which end is up. One minute we're enjoying the easy laughs of Divorce - Italian Style and the next we're embroiled in Scenes from a Marriage. On the whole, the comic segments work better -- provided, that is, you can find humor in the abject despair brought on by infidelity.

Alex[...]