Seven side-splitting women in Falcon Theatre's 'POTUS'
By Noah Moore
Much like a carousel, the antics in Falcon Theatre's POTUS were seemingly never-ending--only this time, I didn't get motion sickness...rather, I couldn't stop laughing. One of the most hilarious shows I have had the privilege of seeing, POTUS captures the cultural zeitgeist of post-Trumpism in a hilarious, absurd, and sharply satirical take on the women working to keep the president alive. As you can imagine, that's a tough job, especially when you throw in a drug-filled intertube dancer and a Slurpee-drinking mistress. But hey, politics are a circus, right?
POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive is a 2022 play by Selena Filinger which premiered on Broadway in a starry production with Rachel Dratch and Julianne Hough, among others. The show features the everyday antics of those closest to the U.S. president--there's his wife, chief of staff, press secretary...oh and his felon sister, his mistress, and a journalist threatening to upend it all. If it sounds crazy, it's because it is. The zany, Veep-adjacent satire of this show hits hard, especially with a woman being on the ballot for president this fall; this is most hard-hitting through the frequently-posited question in the play, asking why the women don't run for president. Perhaps their subsequent shrugs may one day turn to nods of agreement, but for now, we get to see a hilarious two-act riot where Murphy's Law is proved time and time again.
The ensemble of women in this production embodied comedy in all of its forms (even if that is a Demi Lovato song Stephanie won't stop singing). Sherry McCamley (whom I loved in She’s Crazy: Mental Health & Other Myths) as Harriet, is his chief of staff with a haircut not unlike Ronald Reagan. The frantic logician Jean, played by Elizabeth Durham, provides the voice of reason. As his wife Margaret, Brandi La-Sherrill (who will forever be Billie Holiday to me, if you know you know) perfectly captured the Michelle Obama-ness of her character as she strutted across the stage in Crocs and discussed her new book...and podcast...and philanthropic endeavors. Bryanna Bentley's Chris, the reporter, serves as a slight foil to her craziness in several tensely comical scenes.
The show's most hilarious ongoings happen in several moments, mostly catapulted forward by Bernadette, his felon sister, played to perfection by Claire LaNicca. Her one-liners shine, as does her ability to rock cargo pants and a tuxedo in the same hour. The show also gives its most satisfying arc to Anna Hazard's Dusty, and I am grateful for that, as Hazard's comic timing and energetic dance sequences were an absolute highlight. Perhaps given the most physicality and side-splitting character is Samantha Joy Luhn as Stephanie, who accidentally takes a Tum that may or may not have been drugs. Luhn goes all in, as her character demands some pretty shameless stripping and intertube dancing (don't ask). You can only imagine the hilarity that ensues when all seven are onstage together.
Director Piper M. Davis has managed to tackle one of the most comically-demanding shows in recent years, balancing large-scale fight scenes and near non-stop quippy one-liners. I especially enjoyed the creative use of space in such an intimate theatre. The show is paced well, and the dispersement of the characters' arrivals only makes the show snowball into a satisfying mess. Ted Weil's lighting design serviced the production well and was always well-timed thanks to stage manager Katie Ruwe.
Even as humorous as this show is, there comes a certain point after leaving the theatre when you say, oh, shit, that's really how it is, isn't it? As American politics only continues to heat up and political divides strengthen, there's comfort in seeing a show that so upends any stoic thoughts of the presidency. If I had to place a bet, I'd say it's more accurate than many of us think. Such is the glory of America, and you can relish the humor in it at Falcon Theatre through September 28. Tickets are available now at https://falcontheater.net/tickets-information/!
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