Once upon a time, in the very near land of the U.S. of A., there lived a POTUS.
According to such a source as the New York Times, he never was a good person, but “With the passage of time, the president’s speeches have grown darker, harsher, longer, angrier, less focused, more profane and increasingly fixated on the past, according to a review of his public appearances over the years.”
Yes, this “fictional” person, who is the subject of the very farcical play POTUS, now on stage at Dobama Theatre, has had a history of being a womanizer, purveyor of lies, an attacker of those people who were not like him (blacks, browns, religious minorities and females, among others) while living in a fantasy world seemingly centered on himself. He fires people at will, attacks with vitriolic glee, and often destroys for the sake of just destroying. He seemingly leads an insurrection, yet sees it not as such. Oh, woe is me!
In spite of what some would say are despicable actions, there are those who adore him, worship him, follow his view of his world of fantasy, though they often know not why. They even wore uniforms, mostly hats of raging red, to identify themselves. Oh, woe is me!
The sub-title of the show is “Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive,” for good reason.
In Selina Fillinger’s portrait of POTUS, this ogre is surrounded by seven beleaguered women whom he relies upon to keep him out of trouble. They try and extract him from creating yet another global crisis due to his unwittingly spinning a public relations nightmare as he refers to his wife as a “cunt,” insults a leader of an Arabic country, offends a group of honored women, generally attempts to bully the rest of world for his own gain, while bringing his latest bimbo into the nation’s home for his sexual pleasure.
The ladies are forced to hide his sexually induced disease, cover yet another series of transgressions, and even cover over what may be his death. Oh, woe is me!
POTUS is now getting its area premiere. That staging is done at a most logically selected venue, Dobama, Cleveland’s off-Broadway theater, known for its more liberal look at the contemporary world.
A review of a previous production of the show stated, “I am woman, hear me roar — with laughter, at … playwright Selina Fillinger’s delicious feminist farce.”
Nathan Motta, Dobama’s artistic director says, “This show is the laugh-out-loud comedy that we all need right now.” POTUS is packed with farcical hijinks and a stage full of woman power. In times such as these, perhaps only laughter can provide some temporary relief.”
In interviews, Fillinger has said that she hopes POTUS audiences “have a wonderful night of laughter and joy. Then I hope they wake up the next day and put their money, time and votes towards equity and freedom for all.” Fillinger’s goal is that the play will create solidarity and “intergenerational dialogue between women,” saying, “We can only build movements and coalitions when we debate, converse and learn from each other. There is a false notion that solidarity and conflict are mutually exclusive. The goal should not be to avoid conflict, it should be to lovingly engage with differing beliefs and experiences so that everyone may bring their best self to the common cause.”
Dobama’s production, under the creative directing of Carrie Williams, is nothing short of hysterical. Hysterical and, to many, shocking.
The script is full of outlandish situations and actions. Doors slam, pratfalls and stage slaps abound. Visual and verbal hijinks overflow. The ridiculous reigns. The sad part is that one finds oneself laughing through tears and sadness. This is the pathetic world in which we live. Oh, woe is me!
The opposite of laughing is not crying, but indifference. You cannot watch this chaotic, brilliantly written play and be indifferent.
The play clearly focuses its microscope on the political world, but brings the reality of that world into shocking detail by using such vocabulary dialogue as “ass play,” “cunt,” “dildo,” “blow job,” and “dick,” just to highlight a few.
If you are a language prude, or only want to look to the world through sterilized ideas, this is not going to be your cup of tea.
Does the script go too far at times to make its point, thus emphasizing the ridiculous? Sure, but it’s worth the overkill. It makes us laugh instead of lecturing us, which is a better way to gain attention.
The cast is superb. There is not a weak link in this chain of pure talent. The ensemble includes Kristy Cruz (Harriet), Nina Domingue (Jean), Natalie Green (Stephanie), Chennelle Bryant-Harris (Chris), Nicole Sumlin (Margaret), Katherine Nash (Dusty), and Amiee Collier (Bernadette).
It’s impossible to separate one for attention as they form a whole that is inseparable. Each molds and shapes her part.
Capsule judgement: The night I saw the production, a number of John Carroll students were in attendance as a class assignment. They howled, laughed, shouted and applauded as their reality played out on the stage. These young people got it! This is the world which the present older generation has left them. Oh, woe is me! This is absolutely must-see theater.
For tickets to the show, which runs through November 3, go to dobama.org/tickets or call 216-932-3396.
[Written by Roy Berko, Member, Cleveland Critics Circle & American Theatre Critics Association]