Out with ACT: November

There's much to say about ACT's new production of David Mamet's November, but I think I will let the professional reviewers go on about it as I don't have that kind of time at the moment. Let's just say "awesome." ACT rarely has a straightforward, laugh-out-loud comedy and this one has the audience hooting and hollering throughout most of it.

Maybe it's the turkeys.

November is a great oval office satire with an astounding performance by Andrew Polk as a President trying hard not to let the door smack him on the ass on the way out—as even his own party won't support him for reelection. The idiocy of the Commander in Chief would be even more funny if it didn't remind you that the previous occupant of the oval office was possibly this stupid and corrupt. (The "party" of Mamet's President Smith is markedly unclear.) Pitting the "turkey lobby" against gay marriage rights in a bid for money and reelection, November is a truly absurd Thanksgiving feast of funny.

Polk's manner that I loved the character of the First Lady even though she exists only as an unheard voice on the other end of the stage phone. That being said, ACT staple Anthony Fusco almost steals the show as the long-suffering aide/Chief of Staff. ACT house favorite René Augesen, whose character just got off a plane from China and is stricken with bird flu, performs a wonderfully comic turn as the speech writer. It was personally striking to see the usually luminescent Augesen made up to be visually unattractive (as jet-lagged flu sufferers tend to be).
The usual crowd of Out with ACTers were not in attendance this week, but Kevin and I did enjoy the company of Reindeer Jim (seen as recently as Sunday at his Day of the Dead party) and his sidekick Robert (absent stigmata).

I usually try to get several pics at the reception but was too busy chatting up to take more than this one. Maximus Barnaby finished the upstairs bar and joined us for the fun times in the basement. I about peed myself when I heard that the staff had a nickname for Christine too. For about two years, Kevin and I have been referring to Christine as "Pretty Pretty Kissyface." Apparently, her loving coworkers sometimes call her "Slutty Slutty Open Legs Nickel F*ck."

I think it's just funny that they both start out in basically the same way, and head in the same direction. It's all said in love though.

Wet, sticky love.