POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive, But The Question Becomes Who Are the Dumbasses?

Women in politics never end up well. They are so busy trying to be men instead of being who they are… great minds, kind hearts and analytical beings who could run the world if they just stayed the course. Nothing makes my point more clear than the SNL skit masquerading as Broadway. POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive is written by Selina Fillinger, best known for her writing of Apple TV’s The Morning Show. On stage at the Shubert Theatre, this farce, thinks crude jokes, slapstick and putting down women is fodder.

Vanessa Williams, Julie White Photo by Paul Kolnik

The show starts blazingly with the C-word stated several times by a screeching and harried Harriet (Julie White) to Jean (Suzy Nakamura), a much more competent Pataski. The press secretary is trying to stay in the loop as Harriet, the chief of staff has been signing most of the presidents documents and doing his work for years. It seems the president said to the Chinese diplomats: “Please excuse my wife’s absence. She’s having a c*nty morning.” Ironically his wife, Margaret (Vanessa Williams), had been there for 10 minutes; he just didn’t notice.

Cast Photo by Paul Kolnik

In the meantime a leadership event (Female Models of Leadership Council, or FML other wise known as F**k My Life, has been organized for that evening. Harriet gets Stephanie (an insanely childish Rachel Dratch), to keep Margaret from Potus, but the meek secretary is busy practicing power stances to kick start her confidence.

White House journalist Chris (Lilli Cooper), is breastfeeding and needs to pump breast milk and is losing her status.

It also seems the President has been engaging in rough anal sex with a girl named Dusty (Julianne Hough), the gorgeous, young farm girl who has been invited to the Oval Office by POTUS himself and carries his child, which is the size of a pepper. She is constantly vomiting up Blue Raspberry Slushies and we hear a lot about the Presidents anal fissure.

Finally Bernadette (Lea Delaria), Potus’s lesbian sister is out of jail on a pardon from the President for  drug-dealing in three countries. It isn’t until Ms. Delaria enters that the show has much of a spark.

Directed by Susan Stroman the show never quite rises to hilarity or some kind of flow. I blame this on the script by Ms. Fillinger, which is neither funny or sympathetic.

Suzy Nakamura, Julianne Hough, Lea Delaria Photo by Paul Kolnik

The cast is wonderful doing what they do with Delaria running the show. The standout here is Julianne Hough who wins us over with her character, radiance and “it factor.”After Act One Ms. White vocally mellows and becomes the comedian she has shown us to be.

Beowulf Boritt rotating set of White House offices is well crafted and is stunning.What stands out the most is the sound design by Jessica Paz and the concert of these fabulous tunes sung by the cast. I would have preferred a concert to what was presented on stage.

POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive: Shubert Theater, 225 W 44th St. through August 14th.