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Barbed comments
"Barbara Bush Never Slept Here" is an adeptly staged drama about a politician searching his soul and his past in Bush country.
By ROBIN EISGRAU
Offoffoff.com
Set in a small Texas town shortly after the 2000 presidential election, "Barbara Bush Never Slept Here" tells the story of a state representative trying to come to grips with his past as he returns to his hometown.
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| | | BARBARA BUSH NEVER SLEPT HERE | Written by: David DeWitt.
Directed by: Jim Brachitta.
Cast: Pamela Dunlap, Alice King, Steven Friedman, Rachelle Mendez, David Mason.
Sound design by: Bart Fasbender.
Set design by: Mikiko Suzuki.
Costumes by: Meredith Moseley.
Lighting design by: Brian Aldous.
| | SCHEDULE | Bernie West Theatre at Baruch College
17 Lexington Ave. (at 23rd Street)
Oct. 7-31, 2004
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Homer Patrick Kenilworth (played by Stephen Friedman) is no fan of the Bushes and is disillusioned with the political game. He's come back home to care for his sick mother, catch up with his friend, Councilwoman Pansy Matthews, and perhaps reconnect with his ex-wife, the salt-of-the-earth owner of Sweet William's CafŽ. Matthews wants Kenilworth to stay in politics, his mother dies and his ex-wife holds him at arm's length. A young couple who work at Sweet William's are nervous about their future and their relationship gets tested. Soon a political scandal erupts and everyone has to make some serious choices.
Thereare a couple of verbal jabs at Dubya and the Bush family (the flowers that Barbara Bush sent to Kenilworth's mother's wake get quickly thrown in the trash) and some sage remarks about political corruption in the Lone Star state.
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The play is very well cast. Everyone fits into their role comfortably, most notably Pamela Dunlap as the plucky Pansy Matthews. When she talks of her love for politics, it's easy to believe her.
"Barbara Bush Never Slept Here" is also cleverly staged, utilizing a single kitchen table as the centerpiece of both Sweet William's CafŽ and Kenilworth's mother's kitchen, which works very well. Some of the better contemporary country music punctuates scene changes (the use of Linda Ronstadt's "Ooh Baby Baby" in a flashback sequence is particularly effective). With its engaging, intelligent characters, crisp dialogue and appearances by more than a few baked goods, this play is a delight; a fitting tonic for those suffering from the election-season blues.
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OCTOBER 24, 2004
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