POTUS Reviews

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 4/26/22 at 9:45pm

Broadway's upcoming POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alivehas moved up its opening night afternoon to April 27, newly making the production eligible for 2022 Tony Awards. With Mr. Saturday Night set to open the evening of April 27, POTUS will be the rare production to celebrate its opening with a matinee. The production's start remains set for April 14, and a special gala celebration will be held May 1. The production was originally set to open May 9.

Lilli Cooper, Lea DeLaria, Rachel Dratch, Julianne Hough, Suzy Nakamura, Julie White, and Vanessa Williams will star in the comedic play at Broadway's Shubert Theatre, with Susan Stroman (The Producers, The Scottsboro Boys) directing the work from newcomer Selina Fillinger, who makes her Broadway debut with the production. Described as a "modern farce," the work centers on a PR nightmare that befalls the White House, with seven female support staff risking everything to keep the commander-in-chief out of trouble.

Cooper will star as Chris, DeLaria as Bernadette, Dratch as Stephanie, Hough as Dusty, Nakamura as Jean, White as Harriet, and Williams as Margaret. Dratch, Hough, and Nakamura will all make their Broadway debuts with the production.

Rounding out the cast will be Anita Abdinezhad (Persian Pod), Gisela Chípe (Manifest), Jennifer Fouché (Chicken & Biscuits), and Lisa Helmi Johanson (Avenue Q) as standbys.

Stroman will lead a creative team that includes scenic designer Beowulf Boritt, costume designer Linda Cho, lighting designer Sonoyo Nishikawa, and sound designer Jessica Paz. Hair and wig design will be by Cookie Jordan, with Rocio Mendez providing intimacy and fight direction. Casting is by Taylor Williams, and Johnny Milani is production stage manager. Foresight Theatrical will provide general management.

POTUS will be produced on Broadway by Seaview (Slave Play), Lynette Howell Taylor's 51 Entertainment (A Star is Born), Glass Half Full Productions (Betrayal), Level Forward (What the Constitution Means to Me), Salman Al-Rashid, Sony Music Masterworks, Mark Gordon Pictures, Imagine Equal Entertainment, Jonathan Demar, Luke Katler, Thomas Laub, and David J. Lynch. Level Forward will also serve as impact producer, with key partnerships with organizations supporting women running for office and voter registration to be announced in the coming weeks.

[raddersons]

Posted: 4/27/22 at 12:02am

Smart of them to move this up — This is a strong contender for Best Play, plus Julie White & Rachel Dratch are both strong contenders for Leading/Supporting. 

I think this show caught everyone by surprise but boy is it a blast. 

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 4/27/22 at 12:11am

VERY curious to see what reviews will be like. Will reviewers be able to accept this show for what is and how great it is that it is just a bunch of fun? I'm not sure. 

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 4/27/22 at 1:25am

Will Julianne be out for this opening matinee?

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 4/27/22 at 1:29am

She was back in as of last night. I'm guessing a bunch of press had to see it without her though. With SOOOO many shows opening, I can't imagine that they have much flexibility in when they can see stuff. probably can't just decide to wait until an actress is back in. 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/27/22 at 3:48am

jkcohen626 said: "VERY curious to see what reviews will be like. Will reviewers be able to accept this show for what is and how great it is that it is just a bunch of fun? I'm not sure."

It's a farce, of  course they'll "accept" it as such. Whether they'll like it, is a different story.   I think they're going to get decent reviews, but get slammed for timing issues and a lack of polish.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 4/27/22 at 11:30am

Even though the performance is this afternoon, should we still expect the reviews later this evening?

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 4/27/22 at 11:35am

I was there last night and it was a pretty wobbly evening, despite being very funny for the most part. Surprised it was the final preview, but the packed house (lots of comps, mine included) makes more sense now. It was a bit sloppy for the night before opening and theoretically the final press night, though I enjoyed myself. Interested to see how critics feel.

[Dan6]

Posted: 4/27/22 at 11:51am

Will be there this afternoon and will report back!

[MayAudraBlessYou2]

Posted: 4/27/22 at 11:53am

It is worth noting that POTUS included a ton of post-opening press dates in their invites, as they realized that moving the show up would complicate the already jam packed final week of Tony eligibility. (And yes, all productions have a couple post-opening press dates, but this was much more than standard). 

So while I anticipate that the major publications all made the necessary adjustments to see this in time for opening night, it would not surprise me if some coverage and reviews continue to trickle out over the next 5-6 days.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/27/22 at 4:40pm

Saw the matinee and we almost pissed ourselves laughing. I didn’t spot anything clunky (as was mentioned above) but man that was refreshing. A raunchy comedy farce that didn’t give a f*ck was exactly what I needed. Hough, Dratch and White especially stole the show and should be Tony contenders, however everyone was pitch perfect. 

[Dan6]

Posted: 4/27/22 at 4:41pm

I was there this afternoon, and it certainly didn't feel like an opening...no red carpet, no special Playbills, no curtain speech, nada. Did they do a last-minute move of the official opening based on the eligibility extension? I haven't seen anything, but today sure felt like an ordinary Wednesday matinee.

As for the play, it indeed is very funny and I laughed a lot, and there's tremendous potential here, but oh boy does it need more preview time. A good farce demands split-second and effortless timing and movement - I think back to the perfection of both the original and revival of Noises Off - and this production is just nowhere near that yet. Several of the actresses tripped over their lines (Julie White most of all) and had delayed responses to cues, and the staging felt inorganic and like they were still trying to remember where to go next. 

For me, the standouts were Rachel Dratch and (somewhat to my surprise) Julianne Hough, who despite having missed several previews was in total command of her material and has great comic chops. I hope the full cast grows into this more, I'd love to see it later in the run when they have it all down pat. I just wish that had happened before opening instead of after.  

Updated On: 4/27/22 at 04:41 PM

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 4/27/22 at 4:43pm

Was there even press or a red carpet?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/27/22 at 4:46pm

Opening is tonight. 2 shows today. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/27/22 at 4:50pm

Jordan Catalano said: "Opening is tonight. 2 shows today."

This afternoon at 2pm is the technical Opening performance unless they changed plans and didn't tell us? Or are they still doing the invited performance/party tonight, but this afternoon was the actual opening? Quite confusing!

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/27/22 at 4:52pm

Their opening night performance is tonight at 8, where the red carpet will be. People were out front afterwards planning where it would all be rolled out. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/27/22 at 5:00pm

This is so bizarrely handled –– and sounds hair-splitty to even be talking about it, but it is worth noting their press releases say:

– "opening matinee performance" (today at 2pm)

– "POTUS... will move up its press opening to the matinee of Wednesday, April 27, 2022...A special gala celebration will be held on Sunday, May 1, 2022."

But none of that really matters if the review embargo is tonight after the 8pm show? Edit: The review embargo was, evidently, 5pm.

<shrug emoji>

Updated On: 4/27/22 at 05:00 PM

[Dan6]

Posted: 4/27/22 at 5:02pm

Jordan Catalano said: "Their opening night performance is tonight at 8, where the red carpet will be. People were out front afterwards planning where it would all be rolled out."

As of late yesterday afternoon, the guy at the Shubert box office told me opening was still set for this afternoon. Mr. Saturday Night is tonight, and I thought the whole point of scheduling the matinee as the official opening was to avoid conflicting openings.  So confusing.

Updated On: 4/27/22 at 05:02 PM

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 4/27/22 at 5:03pm

Theatermania:

Review: POTUS: Or, Behind This Bad Play Are Eight Women Trying to Keep It Alive — and They Do

Susan Stroman directs a cast of scene-stealers led by Julie White, Vanessa Williams, and Rachel Dratch in a new Broadway farce by Selina Fillinger.

https://www.theatermania.com/broadway/reviews/review-potus-broadway_93706.html

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 4/27/22 at 5:04pm

Deadline:

‘POTUS’ Broadway Review: Julie White, Rachel Dratch, Julianne Hough & All-Star Cast Corral Chaos In New Political Farce

https://deadline.com/2022/04/potus-broadway-review-rachel-dratch-selina-fillinger-julianne-hough-1235011112/

"

Like some strange brew blend of VEEP, Noises Off and one of the late Charles Ludlam’s outrageously vulgar (and still sorely missed) Ridiculous Theatrical Company follies, Selina Fillinger’s all-female, star-packed political satire POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive is an occasionally glorious mess of a farce, sometimes chaotically funny and other times as what-were-they-thinking?? goofy as the last segment of a Saturday Night Live episode.

If POTUS, directed by Susan Stroman and opening today at Broadway’s Shubert Theatre, never quite rises to the level of those three influences – not as darkly clever as VEEP, as lightning quick as Noises Off nor as go-for-deliriously-broke as Ludlam – POTUS barrels through its weaker stretches on the contagious enthusiasm and in-it-together vivacity of a crowd-pleasing cast."

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 4/27/22 at 5:05pm

Four stars from Time Out:

A starry cast lights up Selina Fillinger’s original Broadway comedy.

https://www.timeout.com/newyork/theater/potus-review-broadway-comedy-vanessa-williams-rachel-dratch-julie-white

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 4/27/22 at 5:08pm

Daily Beast is positive:

‘POTUS’ on Broadway Explodes an All-Woman Farce in a Wild White House

WHO’S SAVING WHO?

Julie White and Rachel Dratch excel in the all-woman “POTUS” on Broadway, as seven women try to save an unseen male president from himself. Merry chaos and a lot of swearing ensue.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/potus-on-broadway-explodes-an-all-woman-farce-in-a-wild-white-house

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 4/27/22 at 5:09pm

The Wrap is negative (the opening line: "The 21st century finally has its “Moose Murders.” )

‘POTUS’ Broadway Review: The President Can’t Be Held Responsible for This Mess

Vanessa Williams, Rachel Dratch, Lea DeLaria, Julie White, Julianne Hough and others find themselves trapped in a political farce

https://www.thewrap.com/potus-broadway-review-rachel-dratch-vanessa-williams-julianne-hough/

 

Updated On: 4/27/22 at 05:09 PM

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/27/22 at 5:14pm

Jesse Green/NYT is largely positive, though not a rave or Critics Pick: 

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/27/theater/potus-review-broadway.html

Updated On: 4/27/22 at 05:14 PM

[Kad]

Posted: 4/27/22 at 5:15pm

So strange these reviews are coming out now, when they're all but guaranteed to be lost in the shuffle.