“POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive” by Selina Fillinger. Directed by Paula Plum. Scenic Design by Jenna McFarland Lord. Sound Design by Aubrey Dube. Lighting Design by Karen Perlow. Costume Design by Rebecca Glick. Fight Choreography by Angie Jepson. Presented by Speakeasy Stage at the Calderwood Pavilion, Boston, through October 15
By Linda Chin
U.S. presidents are the central figures of two productions running concurrently in Boston theatres this fall – Lyric’s Assassins, a musical about seven men and two women trying to kill the president by the legendary Stephen Sondheim, and Speakeasy’s POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive, an uproariously funny ‘straight’ play that marked playwright Selina Fillinger’s recent Broadway debut. Fillinger’s commander-in-chief is not named or seen on stage; the play puts seven women who are typically behind the scenes front and center. Individually, the chief of staff, first lady, lover, press secretary, secretary, sister, and a White House reporter are forces of nature; banded together, they make POTUS a farce to be reckoned with.
For her Speakeasy directing debut, Paula Plum has assembled a dream ensemble of seven athletic actors with lovely voice and speech, strong stage presence, and impeccable comic timing. Audiences are in for a joy ride from word one, with unflappable chief of staff Harriet (Lisa Yuen, fresh off the high-heels from her zazzy Speakeasy debut in last season’s The Prom) huddling with press secretary Jean (a pitch-perfect Laura Letreille in her fourth Speakeasy production). Apparently, the POTUS called the FLOTUS a “See You Next Tuesday” in the presence of diplomats and members of the press, and Harriet is trying to get to the bottom of this mess before it spins out of control. Speaking of bottoms, the president’s is sore; he has an anal abscess and is uncomfortable sitting for long periods of time. His personal secretary, Stephanie (the spectacular Marianna Bassham, who directed Speakeasy’s terrific Heroes of the Fourth Turning last season), stands guard, doing her best to manage the flow of visitors and her sense of self-worth by practicing power stances and deep breathing.
One would expect that a president who behaves like a dumbass would be the butt of many jokes, but these three staff members are remarkably loyal, as are the other four women behind him. Amidst preparing for discussions about issues of international import (e.g. nuclear disarmament) and a gathering of the Female Models of Leadership Council are some burning questions – did the leader of the free world get the abscess from rough play with the first lady, Margaret (Crystin Gilmore, who starred in Speakeasy’s The Color Purple and School Girls and has a commanding presence), or with a with dalliance Dusty (Monique Ward Lonergan in an impressive Speakeasy debut), who is carrying the president’s love child? Rounding out the troupe of seven are two women interested in POTUS’ well-being but who also have agendas of their own. There’s Chris (Catia, also making an impressive Speakeasy debut), a post-partum journalist covered with tit juice looking for juicy leaks (news leaks, that is) for her next big story. And Bernadette, his convicted drug-stallion, vagitarian sister lobbying for a presidential pardon, is played by the brassy and sassy Johanna Carlisle-Zepeda, returning to Speakeasy in a role that seems made just for them.
Scenic designer Jenna McFarland Lord has created interior spaces in the White House that support the perception of many people in the general public that the inner workings of the American political system are circus-like. Five angular walls fitted with working doors that are off-kilter and papered with colorful vertical stripes, big-tent-like, are the perfect slate for Karen Perlow’s vibrant lighting design. Simple props (Emmie Shaw, designer) such as cellphones and post-it notes and ornamental objects (a rifle and bust of Ann Paul) decorate the office/sitting areas but take on bigger roles when tossed in a game of salugi. Likewise, an inner tube, bottle of Tums and oversized blue slushy play prominent roles in the hilarious storytelling.
POTUS is remarkable in several respects: That playwright Selina Fillinger made her Broadway debut at age 28 (even younger if not for the pandemic delay). That the playwright created a story about women (and juicy roles for actors) of multiple generations, and that the dialogue for women with such a wide range of characteristics is pretty much spot on (Fillinger commented in an interview that “I really didn’t feel like I needed to do any research. I have been all these women.”). That it is not just a play for a girls’ night out, but people of all genders, sexual orientations, political affiliations, races will find riotously funny. That humor can be effective in getting serious messages across, and that laughter can bring us together. For tickets and information, go to: https://speakeasystage.com/
