WATERFORD, Mich.–Given the current political climate, a comedy about politics seems like a sure thing.

However some of the jokes in Monster Box Theatre’s production of David Mamet’s November fall flat, at least to this critic. Perhaps it is the strain of the current election that makes watching the show uncomfortable. Or perhaps I’m just less inclined to laugh at “jokes” about a wall being built to keep immigrants out of the U.S. Still, the majority of the mostly 50+ audience laughed throughout the play, which bills itself as “scathingly hilarious.”

Another stab at “humorous” political incorrectness is the unwillingness and intolerance of nearly all of the characters to accept gay marriage. While disturbing on the surface, it is amusing given that it has become legal since the play was first performed in 2008.

The play centers on President Charles Smith (originally played on Broadway by Nathan Lane and played here by veteran local actor Greg R. Thom (who seems to be channelling silver haired Alan Alda) several days before his second election. He has a hard time understanding it when his advisor, Archer Brown (Tim Cordes), tells him he doesn’t have a shot at reelection, between the polls being in the trash and the campaign coffer being empty with little chance of a refill. He doesn’t even have the funds for a presidential library, which will be a huge disappointment to his wife Cathy, who calls to chit-chat with her commander-in-chief husband an awful lot. At one point to get her off the phone, President Smith tells her he has to hang up because the country has invaded Iraq (again, not so funny to me). And then minutes later, it becomes apparent that she has started a rumor about a war resulting in calls of concern to the president.

The traditional pardoning of the turkeys before Thanksgiving offers lucrative comic potential. Bill Robinson plays the easily persuaded representative of the National Association of Turkey and Turkey Products, who is quite willing to increase the payment for the pardon, particularly after President Smith threatens to have his lesbian speechwriter Clarice Bernstein (Kim Cruchon) write a scathing speech for the president about why Americans should no longer celebrate Thanksgiving, which he would give while “pardoning” all of the nation’s turkeys. Bernstein, who has just returned from China where she and her partner have adopted a baby, says she’ll withhold the Thanksgiving speech unless the president agrees to marry her and a female companion. Mr. Turkey is vehemently against gay marriage and when he hears that the president plans to allow it, he says the turkey association will yank their money in protest.

The play requires a brief suspension of logic since the timing of the turkey pardoning seems strange since the events of the play are happening the week before the presidential election (which would actually be late October, not November.)

Thom does a convincing job as a slightly buffoonish politician whose lack of knowledge about who we are at war with and who we aren’t is cringe-worthy. Cordes has great comedic timing and he and Thom play off of each other well. Both men use a fair share of adult language. Between that and the political subject matter, this isn’t a play suitable for children or one that they would enjoy.

The show, directed by Michael Jeffries and produced by Paul Stark, also includes Indian Chief Dwight Gackle (Mike Mongan) who is a caricature of an Indian, right down to the feathered head dress and poison arrow shooter. Kate Jeffries is the stage manager and Angel Walsh provides technical support.

The simple set portrays a very down-budget version of the Oval Office. The theatre company definitely deserve props for pulling off the show on a modest budget.

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