Sue Matsuki:The Question W Revue – An Evening of Political Cabaret

BACK STAGE
Review by John Hoglund

Pulling Out the Stops
I guess it was inevitable that George W. Bush would make it into the cabaret arena. This happened in the form of an hour of timely sociopolitical madness called "The Question W Revue," which will return later in August to the Duplex. The show stars cabaret favorites Joan Crowe, Rob Landgeder, Sue Matsuki and Miles Phillips, with musical direction by John Bowen and clever direction by Jay Rogers. Original songs are by Brooks Cowan (music) and Jeff Matson (lyrics).

Attacking each skit with buffoonery, the show flaunts fast paced silliness and wacky campiness with brio. The result is an hour that is wildly funny and irreverent. It is an outrageous musical satire that rips into today's headlines and take the audience into an off-the-wall 'no sin zone.'

The show takes shots at the alleged lies of the Bush administration, the shortcomings of the liberal media in exposing them, and numerous other targets through a series of original songs, parodies of show tunes, sketches, and rants, taking on a life of its own thanks to the energetic cast. Starting with "The Opening Number" followed by "Bushspeak," with biting lyric lines like "The most shocking thing about this show is that it's all true...and Halliburton hasn't found a way to profit from it," establishes the tone of the frenzied hour, opening a Pandora's box of Bush bashing and acerbic rhetoric borrowed from today's headlines.

Phillips proved effective delivering "Something I Never Considered," a profound ballad about disappointment. Crowe and Matsuki were hysterical as they bantered together, told political jokes, and ended up in the sidesplitting number "A Dream" tangoing across the stage as lesbian lovers and handsome Rob Langeder, who was a revelation in a tour de force performance, "The Most Hated Man on Earth", pulled out all the stops.

No one connected with the current administration or media is safe from attack in this clever show (wait till you see what they do to Attorney General John Ashcroft and controversial Fox News host Bill O'Reilly). Regardless of your political persuasion or cynicism, the show has lethal doses of mass appeal and lots of lighthearted controversy in what is sure to be one of the most talked-about revues of the year. You may not agree, but you'll have a ball.

SHOW BUSINESS
Review by David Hurst

Don't let the phrase "political cabaret" in the subtitle of the shrewdly entertaining new show at the Duplex, The Question W Revue, keep you away next month when the Republicans come to town. On the contrary, it's all the more reason you should stop by and see it. With a first-rate cast that includes Joan Crowe, Rob Langeder, Sue Matsuki and Miles Phillips, The Question W Revue is surprisingly entertaining, with parody lyrics that will have lovers of democracy – and those who are scared to death of 'Dubya' – applauding loudly in both recognition of and disgust for the current administration's blunders and policies.

Swiftly and creatively directed by Jay Rogers, the material that Brooks Cowan and Jeff Matson have fashioned includes fresh twists on show tunes and pop songs that will have even jaded cabaret-goers smiling broadly. Whether they're skewering "Bush Speak" with "Brush Up Your Shakespeare" and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" or putting the media in their place with a delicious medley set to "That's Entertainment titled, "That's Infotainment!," Crowe and Matsuki make a modern-day Hope & Crosby with sharp comic timing while Langeder and Phillips wield their Broadway-sized voices with power and confidence. Together they sound terrific in the group numbers and Rogers wisely kept the staging simple, breezy and smart.

Do yourself a favor, go and support The Question W Revue – and take a friend.

Perfect Comic Timing
Review by Barbara & Scott Siegel
for TheaterMania

This summer's oft-extended political parody, The Question W Revue, offers its expression of very free speech for the two last times, both of them during the Republican Convention. Talk about comic timing! This unabashed Bush bash written by Jeff Matson*, directed by Jay Rogers, and starring capable caperers Joan Crowe, Sue Matsuki, Miles Phillips, and Rob Langeder sticks it to our fearless leader at the Duplex on Tuesday, August 31 at 7pm and Wednesday, September 1 at 9:30pm.

With a one-sided political agenda, one generally expects an attack that's light on wit and heavy-handed in every other respect. Happily, that's not the case here. While the gloves are certainly off, The Question W Revue makes a real attempt (mostly successful) to subsume its messages in clever entertainment. Not every joke works, not every song is worthy of Tom Lehrer, but the show isn't just passionate in its belief, it's also great fun (if you're not a right-wing Republican).

The cast is fully committed and it shows in their polished performances. The one entertainer we didn't previously know, Rob Langeder, impressed us mightily with his musical theater chops and natural delivery. Jay Rogers has directed the show with the same kind of comic relish that he provided as an actor when he sang the three best political numbers in When Pigs Fly. The ultimate star of the revue, however, is Jeff Matson*, who has written some very clever stuff. In the end, The Question W Revue probably isn't going to change anyone's mind about Mr. Bush but it might very well have the salutary effect of getting some people to vote who might otherwise sit on their hands on election day. And at the very least, the show fulfills its first obligation: to put on a good show.

Editor's Note: The Question W Revue -- An Evening of Political Cabaret was written by Brooks Cowan and Jeff Matson.


		The Question W Revue – An Evening of Political Cabaret BACK STAGE Review by John Hoglund Pulling Out the Stops I guess it was inevitable that George W. Bush would make it into the cabaret arena. This happened in the form of an hour of timely sociopolitical madness called "The Question W Revue," which will return later in August to the Duplex. The show stars cabaret favorites Joan Crowe, Rob Landgeder, Sue Matsuki and Miles Phillips, with musical direction by John Bowen and clever direction by Jay Rogers. Original songs are by Brooks Cowan (music) and Jeff Matson (lyrics). Attacking each skit with buffoonery, the show flaunts fast paced silliness and wacky campiness with brio. The result is an hour that is wildly funny and irreverent. It is an outrageous musical satire that rips into today's headlines and take the audience into an off-the-wall 'no sin zone.' The show takes shots at the alleged lies of the Bush administration, the shortcomings of the liberal media in exposing them, and numerous other targets through a series of original songs, parodies of show tunes, sketches, and rants, taking on a life of its own thanks to the energetic cast. Starting with "The Opening Number" followed by "Bushspeak," with biting lyric lines like "The most shocking thing about this show is that it's all true...and Halliburton hasn't found a way to profit from it," establishes the tone of the frenzied hour, opening a Pandora's box of Bush bashing and acerbic rhetoric borrowed from today's headlines. Phillips proved effective delivering "Something I Never Considered," a profound ballad about disappointment. Crowe and Matsuki were hysterical as they bantered together, told political jokes, and ended up in the sidesplitting number "A Dream" tangoing across the stage as lesbian lovers and handsome Rob Langeder, who was a revelation in a tour de force performance, "The Most Hated Man on Earth", pulled out all the stops. No one connected with the current administration or media is safe from attack in this clever show (wait till you see what they do to Attorney General John Ashcroft and controversial Fox News host Bill O'Reilly). Regardless of your political persuasion or cynicism, the show has lethal doses of mass appeal and lots of lighthearted controversy in what is sure to be one of the most talked-about revues of the year. You may not agree, but you'll have a ball. SHOW BUSINESS Review by David Hurst Don't let the phrase "political cabaret" in the subtitle of the shrewdly entertaining new show at the Duplex, The Question W Revue, keep you away next month when the Republicans come to town. On the contrary, it's all the more reason you should stop by and see it. With a first-rate cast that includes Joan Crowe, Rob Langeder, Sue Matsuki and Miles Phillips, The Question W Revue is surprisingly entertaining, with parody lyrics that will have lovers of democracy – and those who are scared to death of 'Dubya' – applauding loudly in both recognition of and disgust for the current administration's blunders and policies. Swiftly and creatively directed by Jay Rogers, the material that Brooks Cowan and Jeff Matson have fashioned includes fresh twists on show tunes and pop songs that will have even jaded cabaret-goers smiling broadly. Whether they're skewering "Bush Speak" with "Brush Up Your Shakespeare" and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" or putting the media in their place with a delicious medley set to "That's Entertainment titled, "That's Infotainment!," Crowe and Matsuki make a modern-day Hope & Crosby with sharp comic timing while Langeder and Phillips wield their Broadway-sized voices with power and confidence. Together they sound terrific in the group numbers and Rogers wisely kept the staging simple, breezy and smart. Do yourself a favor, go and support The Question W Revue – and take a friend. Perfect Comic Timing Review by Barbara & Scott Siegel for TheaterMania This summer's oft-extended political parody, The Question W Revue, offers its expression of very free speech for the two last times, both of them during the Republican Convention. Talk about comic timing! This unabashed Bush bash written by Jeff Matson, directed by Jay Rogers, and starring capable caperers Joan Crowe, Sue Matsuki, Miles Phillips, and Rob Langeder sticks it to our fearless leader at the Duplex on Tuesday, August 31 at 7pm and Wednesday, September 1 at 9:30pm. With a one-sided political agenda, one generally expects an attack that's light on wit and heavy-handed in every other respect. Happily, that's not the case here. While the gloves are certainly off, The Question W Revue makes a real attempt (mostly successful) to subsume its messages in clever entertainment. Not every joke works, not every song is worthy of Tom Lehrer, but the show isn't just passionate in its belief, it's also great fun (if you're not a right-wing Republican). The cast is fully committed and it shows in their polished performances. The one entertainer we didn't previously know, Rob Langeder, impressed us mightily with his musical theater chops and natural delivery. Jay Rogers has directed the show with the same kind of comic relish that he provided as an actor when he sang the three best political numbers in When Pigs Fly. The ultimate star of the revue, however, is Jeff Matson, who has written some very clever stuff. In the end, The Question W Revue probably isn't going to change anyone's mind about Mr. Bush but it might very well have the salutary effect of getting some people to vote who might otherwise sit on their hands on election day. And at the very least, the show fulfills its first obligation: to put on a good show. Editor's Note: The Question W Revue -- An Evening of Political Cabaret was written by Brooks Cowan and Jeff Matson.
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