Fair and balanced? Definitely not. Composer and lyricist Joshua Rosenblum puts W. squarely in his sights and unleashes a withering blast of satire in this musical revue that skewers the politicos from Condi Rice to Sarah Palin. With a lively, talented cast under the skilled direction of Jay Willick and James J. Mellon, the show is a delightful antidote to the current election season. Although Bush is the main target of the humor, Rosenblum has lots of opportunities to make fun of other subjects, including conservative "family values" in several numbers about abortion, gay marriage, and evolution. Lobbyist Jack Abramoff gets a rousing send-up, as does Palin, singing her own version of "I Get What I Want With a Gun." Rice confesses her lust for the president in a torch song, and Fox News is lampooned for biased news coverage. Although much of the humor is familiar — and certainly Bush and his gang have been the incessant targets of comedians — Rosenblum's songs are lively, with clever lyrics that are sure to bring on a smile, at least to the 85 percent of Americans who now disapprove of the job our president is doing. The cast is terrific, with an outstanding Roger Ainslie playing W., bobbing and weaving and ducking responsibility like an irrepressible frat boy. With a wink and grin, he sloughs off blame for everything from the Iraq war to the economic apocalypse. Curtis C. is versatile and engaging, playing a variety of characters, including Rice and Dick Cheney. Sabrina Miller is delightful as Sarah Palin and Jenna Bush. Jonathan Zenz is hilarious in a variety of roles and delivers a showstopping version of a Schumann lied in "Das Bush Ist Schlecht." Kathryn Percival is strong in multiple roles throughout. Political revues are often hard to pull off successfully, as they are always aiming at a moving target: the headlines. Whatever will we do when Bush leaves office in January? Not to worry. Rosenblum and other talented humorists will likely set their sights on the new crowd, whoever they turn out to be.
Presented by and at the NoHo Arts Center, 11136 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood. Fri.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 3 p.m. Oct. 3-Nov. 16. (818) 508-7101. www.thenohoartscenter.com.