Despite star turns from Jane Levy and Alexandra Billings, the Geffen Playhouse production falters under weak direction.
Jennifer Chambers direction allows for far too much air in the proceedings.
As Harriet and Jean attempt to wrestle things back to order, it all becomes a blurry mess.
The cast of ‘POTUS’'.Jeff Lorch
Planned chaos is the name of the game, but in this production, everything feels unrefined and loose.
It all needs to be tightened around the edges.
If the Broadway production had hospital corners, this is an untucked top sheet.
Shannon Cochran and Alexandra Billings in ‘POTUS’.Jeff Lorch
Brett J. Banakis set doesnt help matters.
There is surely a way to do this show without a turntable, but this is not it.
Thats not to say that Fillingers script doesnt still find opportunities to sing amid the muddled staging.
Jane Levy and Lauren Blumenfeld in ‘POTUS’.Jeff Lorch
The ensemble is solid, if a little too actor-y.
The cast attempts to overcompensate with broad acting choices that reduce the plays biting central themes.
Both Blumenfeld and Lovejoy have the clearest innate understanding of the shows requisite comedic timing.
Ito Aghayere and Alexandra Billings in ‘POTUS’.Jeff Lorch
Billings grants the First Lady a take-no-prisoners attitude, infusing the characters inherent elegance with a dangerously overloaded B.S.
POTUSis a whizbang of a play, but the Geffen production exposes its seams to an unfortunate degree.
But when its comedy isnt tight as a screw, the play starts to rattle around the edges.
ThisPOTUSfeels more toothless than the possibilities of Fillingers writing offer.
