Every marriage has its problems – sometimes it’s money – sometimes it’s the kids – sometimes it’s another paramour outside the marriage – but all marriages have one common threat –THE MOTHER IN LAW! Everyone knows that President Obama has his mother-in-law, Marian Robinson, living in the White House and so far the press has treated her with kid gloves and not dared to come near her with a ten foot pole.

But writers Derek Reid and Nicholas Zill are not members of the press; they don’t own a pair of gloves between them and contributor Kenneth McLeod broke their ten foot pole trying to vault over the White House gate to get material for this story, so without those firewalls, they have put together a howler that takes aim at sweet Marian Robinson, Michelle Obama’s mother.

The play, disguised as twenty two scenes that end in black-outs, is series of vignettes with music, loosely held together by the premise that Marian Robinson does not like Barack Obama (“You’ll never amount to anything”) and is trying to sabotage his Presidency by getting him to start smoking again, by exposing the previous day’s nuclear launch codes played as lottery numbers and by disagreeing with him on everything, convinced that she can run the country better. Meantime his daughters, Sasha and Malia have heard that Nixon had an enemies list so they make an enemies list of their own. Since their mother, Michelle, is battling child obesity and fast foods their list includes Ronald McDonald, Colonel Sanders, Darth Vader and of course Lord Voldemort from Harry Potter. They even include John Williams, who wrote the music for both Star Wars and the Potter films. Malia emails the list to one of her friends and somehow it gets leaked to the press and after Fox News runs with the story it becomes a national headline.

Derek Reid, (who co-wrote the play), is a resigned and acquiescent Barack Obama who tries to work around his mother-in-law’s rants but finally gets exasperated and banishes her to Guantamo. Reid nails the role of Obama with a huge sledge hammer and people were overheard saying he’s way better than the guy on SNL (Lorne Michaels, are you listening?). Equally convincing is the beautiful Constance Reese whose poise and serenity makes for a perfect Michelle Obama – and Constance can sing too! She has exactly the right amount of class and patience to mediate between her mother, the kids and the President without ever losing her cool elegant attitude.

 

LaKendra Tookes plays Marian Robinson, delivering her many comic tirades which are sometimes overshadowed by the overly loud delivery. As the “mother-in-law from hell” Tookes keeps the President on the defensive and even her exile into the Guantanamo prison turns out positive as she befriends two terrorists who are incarcerated with her. Actors are always cautioned to avoid working with animals or children because they tend to take the attention from them. Nowhere is this more obvious than with the adorable 9 year old Nay Nay Kirby who is wonderful as Sasha Obama. This kid has all the makings of a star, with a winning smile and a sassy attitude. Since the President makes a point of shielding the girls from the media there is not much known about his daughters but what little has been seen of Sasha, she was definitely emulated by this girl. Nay Nay is a definite Ay Ay.

 

Playing the older more sophisticated Malia is the older more sophisticated Alexis Matthews, who at 13 is already a veteran of films. Her precocious face and sparkling eyes are a definite indication that this young lady will be much in demand in the future. When the family sings the O Momma! & Obama March, the group exits singing upstage, and being the last in line, Alexis throws a little glance at the audience just as she exits that shows pure show business flair. The director may have told her to do that, but it only works if you have what it takes to deliver. This girl delivers. Ian Gary directs this brisk, snappy comedy, managing to make the most of the small stage.

There are eight very funny comical numbers played by the Rock ‘n’ Ridicule Band of Skip Edwards (keyboard) Gene Black (guitar) Chuck Wright (bass) and Jerry Summers (drums). Howard Bennett composed the original music along with some numbers by the Rock ‘n’ Ridicule Band. The lyrics are by Nicholas Zill and Kenneth McLeod.

So the bottom line is that this is one of the funniest political satires we’ve seen in years. If the President is a little overwhelmed by all the women surrounding him at the White House this shows him trying to maintain a cool demeanor in spite of it. Not much mention is made of national problems but then, the source information for this play is not real – as Al Gore explains in the opening – “Like the information used to invade Iraq”. This may appeal more to people who lean more to the left, but if someone from the right should make their way into the theatre they will have plenty to enjoy when they see how the President is manipulated by Marian Robinson.

Comedy pick of the month!

Runs through April 17, 2011 at the Fremont Centre Theatre. Reservations at: (866) 811-4111 or online at: www.fremontcentretheatre.com