Review of ‘ROTUS: Receptionist of the United States’: “Political farce is unlikely to win audience’s general election”

Following a sold-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe, the show celebrates its London premiere at Park Theatre, playing for a strictly limited run until the start of February. Guillermo Nazara shares his views on the show to let us know if this satire on the Oval matters comes off square.

If you’ve seen the Will & Grace episode featuring Britney Spears’s cameo, where she plays a lobotomized blond puppet of conservative propaganda, you know where I’m heading. It might also have been the inspiration for ROTUS, a new one-woman parody of the inner workings of the White House, whose opening at London’s Park Theatre this week generated as much enthusiasm as Trump’s visit to Windsor — and whose comedic virtuosity was as deft as the man’s ability to identify the British national anthem.

It’s not a funny show. It tries incredibly hard to be, but it never reaches that point — not even close. It’s an impressive effort, nonetheless, but for all the wrong reasons — somehow, they’ve managed to turn something as laughable as the current state of American politics into one of the dullest experiences I’ve sit through recently. The influence of its source material may have taken a toll on the writing — none of it was in good humour, or at least it couldn’t produce it.

Author and performer Leigh Douglas takes us on a backstage tour across the day-to-day procedures of governmental life. Suffice it to say, everything about it is crooked. And she can’t wait to let us know. And to let us know again. And again. And (you’ve guessed it!) again.

It is that repetitive. And it’s never that effective. Douglas’s script fails to provide anything but a messy, uninspired array of lazy jokes and tired formulas, all of which lack subtlety or surprising quality. The punchlines are predictable, and the prediction is ominous. They can barely get a grin from the viewer, let alone make them roar.

Its satirical attempts come off too forced, and they often are fruitless. There’s no intelligence to it. And for the most part, it’s the exact opposite.

Overall, the script’s approach is excruciatingly shallow and has no sharpness. It desperately wants to depict the Oval Office as La Cage of Flaws and show the world what a bunch of fanatic dimwits they all are. Sadly, in its obsessive mission of exposing others, the piece only exposes itself — and it does so in the worst possible manner.

The issue stems primarily from its exceedingly bold, unrefined attitude. Of course, we can’t criticise a droll comedy for being too over-the-top. That’s valid. And admittedly, it’s what audiences would be expecting from this genre. However, the text puts all its efforts into telling us how funny something is instead of actually making it funny. And at the same time, there’s no edge in it, other than the one we find in its roughness and clumsy preparation.

The story doesn’t go anywhere for at least half of the performance. Until then, all we’re given is a melange of hardly amusing buffoonery. And the only absurd element in it is the fact that they’ve made it to the final draft. After that, a not-too-engaging plot of political corruption and scapegoating unfolds — unavoidably rushed, and consequently, poorly resolved.

The use of pre-recorded tracks throughout the performance doesn’t improve the situation either. It makes very little sense to hear the protagonist’s disembodied voice deliver context and personal remarks, where she could (and probably should) do it live. Ultimately, it comes across as an unwelcome cinematic device that erodes the show’s theatricality.

Beyond all those problems, Douglas proves herself as a far more competent actress than she is a writer. Her portrayal of the high-pitched, all-American bimbo is superbly executed. It brims with energy and presence, and it exudes naturalness despite the role’s histrionic essence.

I wouldn’t vote for Trump, or his receptionist in real life — if that’s even a thing. Sadly, this show can’t have my ballot either. And its consistent faults will rarely secure a second term following this initial run. There is strength in its germinal idea, but its heavy-handed development has taken the white and blue away from its flags. And despite the character’s affiliation with that colour, it should serve as a warning to any potential viewer.

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ROTUS: Receptionist of the United States plays at London’s Park Theatre until 7 February. Tickets are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara