Wayne David Parker and Tom Whalen in "Escanaba."

Danna Segrest | Purple Rose Theatre Co.

The patented excuse "You had to be there," used when a funny incident or exchange doesn't translate well into a story, has a less popular but no less true opposite: "It's better if you just hear about this one."

Yes, sometimes tall tales fall hard when they're brought down to earth; and I couldn't help but think that Jeff Daniels' "Escanaba," now having its world premiere at the Purple Rose Theatre, suffers from this problem.

The third and final installment of Daniels' Escanaba trilogy (which includes "Escanaba in da Moonlight" and "Escanaba in Love") takes place in 1922 as Soady patriarch Alphonse (Tom Whalen) is putting the finishing touches on his just-built deer camp.

When an overbearing stranger, James Negamanee (Wayne David Parker), is chased by a bear into the camp, he makes himself at home, much to Alphonse's annoyance and distress. Eventually, however, James' presence causes Alphonse to recount a piece of his family's history that, in the end, resonates in the present.

On a basic level, the play breaks down like this: Whalen performs an extended bit of solo physical comedy; two guys extensively test each other (by drinking something foul, etc.) under threat of appearing less-than-manly; a flashback sequence; and a brief coda. What's missing in all this, though, is a compelling dramatic question that hooks the audience and leaves them asking, "What's going to happen next?"

Without that, this short, intermission-free play - which has a running time of about 75 minutes - seems to drag and sputter without a clear sense of its own narrative direction. The actors do all they can (Julian Gant rounds out the talented cast), but ultimately, they can't transcend the play's limitations.

Of course, my hopes may have been set too high when I first stepped into the theater, thanks to Dennis Crawley's arresting, gorgeously-realized log cabin set. Constructed from real trees, and flanked by two standing trees, the deer camp was a truly sumptuous feast for the eyes. (The fact that the camp had a simpler, smaller shape than in previous "Escanaba" plays made sense, since I presumed it would have been updated and expanded through the generations, as it became a family venue instead of one man's retreat.)

Dana White's lighting, meanwhile, often drenched the two main characters in gauzy, warm sepia tones, emphasizing their existence in a distant, bygone era.

And although director Guy Sanville tried to use technical elements to indicate when the action shifted from the present into a flashback, the transition was clunky and unclear, making for a confusing few minutes at a critical point. Plus, this jog to the past directly leads to a rather corny, cliched scene near the play's end.

"Escanaba"'s final scene, however, offers a more interesting and subtle moment that speaks to how family myths evolve and get handed down through generations. Inevitably, the stories become increasingly exaggerated and mysterious and fun, which brings me right back to my starting point: at the end of "Escanaba," I just didn't feel like I had to be there.

Jenn McKee is the entertainment digital journalist for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at jennmckee@annarbor.com or 734-623-2546, and follow her on Twitter @jennmckee.