Political Idol - Satirical Cabaret at the Triad
Oscar E Moore from the rear mezzanine for Talk Entertainment.com
Just when you think you’ve had enough of hearing about candidates and their spouses and those who surround them in the political arena of Washington D.C. along comes one of the freshest and funniest shows that pulls no punches in skewering with pointed poisoned arrows the people who are about to lead us out of the terrible mess that this country finds itself wallowing in.
The newest edition of POLITICAL IDOL is 90 minutes of non stop madcap merriment. Politicians on Parade should be its sub title. For there are more than thirty of them represented here with a smattering of entertainment idols thrown in for good measure.
Robert Yarnall has provided a witty, fast paced book and some of the most original, witty tongue twisting lyrics set to “well known songs” ever to grace the Triad stage. He also does a mean McCain, an egotistical Clinton, a dead on George Bush, Rudy Giuliani and Ricky Martin. Marc Emory has also supplied some pretty wonderful words to the festivities.
Lara Buck is responsible for the wonderful choreography and splendid impersonations of Hillary, Charro, Laura Bush, a spaced out Nancy Pelosi and watch out Tina Fey – a terrific Sarah Palin – if terrific could ever be an adjective used to describe that hockey mom from Alaska.
Joe DiSalle has a strong voice and gives great animation to Al Gore, Dick Cheney, Joe Biden and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Frank Harts is a low key and perfect Obama, James Carville and Maya Angelou. Having their vocal inflections and mannerisms perfected to the audiences delight.
Stealing the spotlight however, is Enga Davis. A dynamo of a performer. She is Michelle Obama, Oprah, Condoleezza Rice, Tina Turner and Al Sharpton. You might even say she’s the new Whoopi Goldberg. What a terrific entertainer. She all but brings the house to its feet with her Tina Turner turn “Voting For Our Future” – a rip roaring rousing number pleading for us all to VOTE – as if our lives depended on it! And yes, do VOTE because our lives do depend on it.
There are too many musical highlights to mention. They are almost all showstoppers – expertly directed by Julie Blanciak - with West Wing Story being most brilliant and Bush- Cheney Years (Seasons of Love from Rent) a close second. All That Sass! heats up Sarah to a Friar’s Roast temperature. Thank goodness we have so many politicians that have so many idiosyncrasies that can be lovingly satirized – with the emphasis on the “idio”.
www.Political-Idol.com Photo credit: Olson Rohdes
NOTE: This evening almost didn’t happen. The Triad had booked an earlier show which was still running when the audience arrived for POLITICAL IDOL which was to begin at 9. Tempers were rising. No one seemed to know what was happening. Finally at ten the show began. And it was so wonderfully funny and entertaining that all was forgiven.
10-15-08
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Comments:
Marc Emory
wrote:
As one of the parties responsible for the existence of this show, I was obviously hoping to see a fabulous performance. I am mostly overseas for work, and I flew in from Europe to see this newest version. I am thrilled to say that it was even better than I had hoped for, and I found myself laughing hysterically even though half the time I knew what was coming. Robert Yarnall's seemingly inexhaustible creative talents give this show a new incarnation on a timely basis, and he and the rest of the cast obviously are so into their various roles, I don't see how they manage to keep a straight face. Your review didn't even mention the Thriller spoof, where the choreography of McCain and Obama et al. romping to the moves of Michael Jackson's monsters had the audience in convulsions from the beginning. Robert, Enga, Laura, Joe and Frank all make one wish for the ability to put them on a DVD, available for resurrection at short notice for laughs as needed, whether for guests or to just lighten up a dark mood or day.
I saw the Second City troupe perform at the Democratic Convention in Denver in August, and even allowing for some partiality (OK, a lot) on my part, this show is unquestionably on a higher plane of humor and creativity. The musical and acting talents of this cast are of a caliber worthy of the old Laugh-In of the sixties, and if there were any justice in this world, Political Idol would have been commanding an audience of similar size and prominence long ago.
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