Mamet's 'November' nails the turkeys

Every presidential election suffers its share of curses slung left and right. In his latest play, "November," David Mamet fuses them all into a giant F-bomb that destroys his intended targets with spectacular precision. On par with the best political sketches of "Saturday Night Live," the production running at American Stage Theatre Company is a prime-time hit.

In tandem with Thanksgiving turkeys awaiting reprieve, U.S. President Charles Smith (Michael Edwards) is hoping to be pardoned for his sins in office and reelected. But, as his aide Archer Brown (Wayne LeGette) reminds him repeatedly ("Your numbers are lower than Gandhi's cholesterol"), the country loathes him, so his chances are pretty poor.

Like any politician worth his salt, Smith scrounges for ways to win. If he isn't reelected, though, he figures he at least deserves a library in his name. Both ends require money that he doesn't have, so he enlists the help of Brown and speechwriter Clarice Bernstein (Sarah Gavitt). They toss ideas around like wet noodles hitting a wall and wait to see which plan will stick.

There's the representative of the National Association of Turkey and Turkey By-products Manufacturers (Chris Rutherford). Smith raises the price of a Thanksgiving pardon from $50,000 per gobble to $200 million. Will the turkey people take the bait? There's Dwight Grackle (Giles Davies) of the Micmac Tribe, the island of Nantucket and a casino option. There's also extorting, conniving, spinning, lying and assorted weaseling to turn things in Smith's favor.

Edwards channels Dick Cheney, Bob Newhart and Archie Bunker to pull off one of the best lampoons since Chevy Chase mocked Gerald Ford. Under Greg Leaming's direction, his comedic timing is impeccable.

LeGette is a crackerjack sidekick to Edwards' racist, homophobic, misogynistic leader of the free world. His steadfast quipping alleviates Gavitt's tedious fake sniffles (Bernstein is suspected of contracting bird flu after traveling to China to adopt a baby girl). Davies' stereotyped Native American is astonishingly zealous, if not superfluous. This character doesn't add much substance other than buffoonery.

Since turkeys were the giblets to this story's gravy, Rutherford's role is both necessary and amusing. He seems genuinely concerned for the welfare of his feathered charges and aptly distressed when droppings hit the fan.

THEATER REVIEW

'November'

WHEN: Through July 4; 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

WHERE: American Stage Theatre Company at the Raymond James Theatre, 163 Third St. N., St. Petersburg; call (727) 823-7529 or visit www.americanstage.org

HOW MUCH: $26-$45, depending on date and time of performance

RUNNING TIME: 85 minutes