After having listened to Ken Daschow late-nights on the radio for over a decade, I eagerly awaited the opening of his play, "Trial By Fire."  I entered the Producers Club Theatre (358 West 44th Street) with high hopes and was not disappointed.

The plot of "Trial By fire" starts out like your basic ghost story and then deepens and thickens into a tale of friendship, treachery, redemption, and taking chances.  A young law student, Marty Weinstein, played with much intensity by Hal Cohen, is trapped in a hunted house as part of a fraternity initiation.  His girlfriend Diane, played by the breath-taking Bonnie Comley, tries everything psychologically possible (including sex) to lure him out of the house, but Marty insists on carrying out the initiation.

The play gets off to a charming and apparent predictable start, until we meet the two characters who really steal the show, Sam Kalish played by Lenny Mandel, and Seymour, played by Norman Golden.  The two are the ghosts of tailors, sentenced to haunt the house because of crimes committed during their lives that lead up to their ghastly deaths.  Mandel and Golden do not appear to be acting; their performance as two cantankerous old Jewish tailors is so convincing that it is hard not to identify with them, despite their atrocious behavior and non-stop nudging.  Their schtick is so authentic that, unless you are either Jewish and/or raised in New York, it's hard to fully appreciate them.  But there was enough humor and depth to keep the audience constantly interested and laughing.

The pace picks up in the second half of the show, as the incredibly insecure Marty tries to build a credible case for heavenly authorities based on non-existent evidence.  The actual trial is a wonderful burlesque on judicial proceedings as Nicholas Saunders gives a hilarious performance which depicts ineptitude and insensitivity in the court-room.  His portrayal of Judge Landis impressed me.  Saunders is strong character actor who is able to be ridiculous at one moment and then immensely fair in the next and still maintain credibility.  Thomas F. Walsh was wonderfully annoying as Prosecutor Cohn, a brown-nosing witch-hunting relic of the McCarthy era who sees communists lurking in every shadow.  Jerry Miller's appearance as the surprise witness, Meyer Pansky, is also a funny bit of absurdity.

"Trial By Fire" is a charming and delightful show which showcases some fresh material and talent.  My only fear is that this play could become an anti-semitic attack on Jewish business ethics and culture if it falls into less sensitive and competent hands than those of director Dashow and producer Suzanne Cohen.  Lighting and set designers Fantress Hill and Yolanda did a terrific job providing the ghostly atmosphere.

 "Trial By Fire" continues its run at the Producers Club Wednesday, August 21, thru Friday, August 23, and Tuesday, August 27, thru Sunday August 31.  Tickets are $10.  For reservations call (212) 246-9049.