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Mamet and Lane make political parody

By Matt Windman, amNewYork Theater Critic
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5:36 PM EST, January 17, 2008

Nathan Lane in a scene from David Mamet's new play, 'November.' (handout)

No playwright curses so well as David Mamet. No actor clowns so well as Nathan Lane. No director is more trusted nowadays than Joe Mantello. And no single producer is producing as as many shows on Broadway nowadays as Jeffrey Richards. So "November," David Mamet's first play to ever open cold on Broadway, should seem like pretty exciting stuff. And while it's still an uneven, half-baked play, it's also a good deal of fun.

Lane stars as fictional American President Charles Smith, who is just days before re-election and has apparently been an undisputedly terrible president. Reviewing his sad state of affairs with his advisor, it appears that he has no campaign money remaining, the country hates him, and he can't seem to remember whether he's at war with Iraq or Iran. But then an absurd notion arrives what if he declares war against turkey? Not Turkey the country, but literally lots and lots of turkeys?

Let us explain. Every year on Thanksgiving, the President pardons a turkey. And according to the play, he receives a nice kickback from the meat industry to do it. Now he's threatening to make pork the new Thanksgiving treat unless the turkey folk fork over $200 million. And, oh yeah, there's a whole gay marriage subplot where his lesbian assistant will only hand over the Thanksgiving speech if he promises to marry her and her partner on live television. And no, that is not constitutional.

There's a pretty big divide between Acts One and Two. Whereas Act One hums along nicely with an over-the-top comedic performance from Lane and tons of one-liners and cursing from Mamet, Act Two sours the joviality by trying to make sense and get serious. That was probably not the greatest idea. After all, how often do we look for a moral in sketch comedy?

But do not get us wrong the play is nicely staged by Mantello and delightfully absurd for the most part. And best of all, Nathan Lane is delivering the kind of flamboyant, overreaching performance that he excels in. And even if it's indulging in silliness, it touches on a national conversation about gay marriage we're itching to debate. And shouldn't we reward a production brave enough to open cold on Broadway?

Ethel Barrymore Theatre, 243 West 47th St, 212-239-6200, $46.50-99.50. Tues 7pm, Wed 2 & 8pm, Thurs-Fri 8pm, Sat 2 & 8pm, Sun 3pm. Open Run.