While the genre of historical musical theatre centred around US politicians may be dominated by Hamilton, Bush! The Musical has earned a place in this niche. This original comedy musical by Lincoln College’s Vincent Chen sets itself apart with its funny, ridiculous, and musically strong satire of George W. Bush’s eight years in office. The inherent campiness of musical theatre integrated perfectly with the inherent silliness of a president with a Wikipedia article dedicated to his “unconventional” English.
Sitting ready at the back of stage before the play began, the pared-back three-person band (consisting of George Ke on keyboard, Sophie Li on bass guitar, and Rei French on drums) was an early sign of the production’s functional minimalism. The score was pretty simple but effective – mostly genre-typical showtunes with the classic swing-time hi-hat hits, walking bass, and extended chords. ‘We Will Iraq You’ was a notable exception – a parody of the world-famous Queen song based on the controversial declaration of the invasion. The iconic kick drum and snare beat had the seats shaking with the stomps of the audience. A number of songs were accompanied solely by the keyboard. This and the necessarily small size of the bass amp left the vocals sounding lonely and the mix feeling empty at times.
Overall, the band served as excellent backing for the singers, but some parts of it occasionally felt lacking in confidence. Hesitation and hastily corrected slip-ups initially marred the effortless jazzy feel, but, by the time the finale arrived and the US flag was streaming across the stage, they’d definitely got into their stride, flawlessly playing out the full-cast musical number. The singers conveyed the catchy melodies very well as they marched peppily and enthusiastically around stage in choreography by Rebecca Harper. Wren Talbot-Ponsonby in particular performed an impressively high kick in the role of a George H.W. Bush well into his 70s. Despite not having microphones, their voices always managed to fill the acoustic space of Wadham College’s Moser Theatre. The whole cast acted engagingly with comic timing that never felt rushed nor delayed. Vivi Li’s central role as George W. Bush set a good comedic tone with his childlike petulance. The role of Dick Cheney allowed Freddie Houlahan to exhibit his theatrical talent – an impressive range from scarily angry politician to sobbing and heartbroken teen.
Very aware of its own genre, the clichés of musical theatre were put to good use in caricaturising the Bush administration. The ridiculous juxtaposition of real US politics with jazz hands and high notes allowed the audience to suspend their disbelief enough to laugh at the satirical depiction. This awareness of media extended to references to memes like the Steamed Hams sequence in The Simpsons and American Psycho’s business card scene. Referential humour can often fall flat, but these didn’t feel out of place even to people who missed the reference. They were integrated well as part of the narrative and made me laugh and then feel slightly ashamed about my hours of screen time when I had to explain the references to my companion.
Beyond that, the tongue-in-cheek writing, puns, and moments of silliness made the piece a hilarious and memorable watch. While George H.W. Bush (Wren Talbot-Ponsonby) and Barbara Bush (Riya Bhattacharjee) looked the audience in the eye to give parental wisdom like “Everyone successful relies on other people” and “Avoid breaking up with your spouse” (poking fun at the necessity of morals in stories), it’s pearls of Vincent Chen’s writing like “rock-proof glass-proof rock” that really made me think. Of course, as historical theatre, it didn’t need to come up with a lot of original story. Nevertheless, I thought the transformation of real-world politics into a more typical Disney-style narrative was executed elegantly – covering tropes from love triangles to a charismatic evil villain, with his associated cowering minions (Josh Bruton as Al Gore, and Freya Owen and Arthur Bellamy as Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid). Towards the end, though, it went really off the historical rails with a massive twist and two decidedly inaccurate named character deaths.
The comedic unseriousness of the production worked hand in hand with its small size. If it wanted to be taken seriously, the minimal costume changes, set design, casting, and the genuine mistakes would be detrimental. Instead, it was even more endearing and funny when characters wore puffer jackets and sunglasses over their dresses and suits, or mimed eating imaginary food at an empty table. The Freudian double-casting of Riya Bhattacharjee as both Bush’s mother and wife earned a laugh when they switched roles on stage, taking off their hat and taking on an entirely different persona – some impressive acting in its own right. It really added to the performance when the drummer Rei French had to shepherd a ball of yarn off stage as it got caught on a stand and unravelled.
The lighting by Felix Gibbons and sound design by Iona Blair were utilised very effectively. The stage was flooded with blue or red to represent the disagreeing parties, and blinded with white as the narrator (Molly Dineley) took on a more divine role. Background protests and eerie siren songs helped sell the settings of the Bush house and the Gore lair respectively. The production’s worst enemy was the hardwood floor, which, when combined with the mid-scene dragging in of various pieces of furniture, occasionally distracted from the dialogue.
This was my first watch of a comedy musical, and I hope it hasn’t set the bar too high. The production took itself just seriously enough to deliver solid comedic performances and an engaging narrative while also maintaining its core absurdity. It made its small budget work to its advantage and revelled in its own silliness.
