Dick 'n' Dubya

Felt like it had been a while since we went to any kind of show, so we headed off to see "Dick 'n' Dubya" last night. Not sure what category it falls in - play/show/cabaret(?), but irrespective of classification, it well worth a trip to the Mission to see it. Its a three man show, one of them being the director himself! The show is labelled as a "Republican Outreach Program" and takes brazen pot-shots at the above-mentioned political party and its most popular faces today. Dick and Dubya are both excellent, bearing uncanny resemblences to the "originals" - mannerisms and speech are on the mark. On the other hand, they are a class apart - very talented comedians, extremely quick on their feet. Between the vocabulary test for Dubya, "bustin' a rhyme" and a cheerleading performance, they'll have you in splits. One cannot help but admire them as they parry back and forth among themselves, as well as with the audience. Oh yeah, did i forget to mention its an "interactive" experience ? There are two real Q&A sessions! I almost got beaten up by Dubya as i asked "So, Mr.President, are you still allowed to eat pretzels?" My favorite question for the night was from a guy who asked "So, the third anniversary of our war with Iraq is coming up this weekend. I was wondering, Mr. President, what are we getting Iraq for the anniversary?" . You get the idea....Being in the city, there was no shortage of tongue-in-cheek questions for Mr.President.

Its playing at the Marsh - another discovery for us. Their tag line is - "A breeding ground for new performance" and they support upcoming artists by providing them a venue. They also have a venue in Berkeley. They don't have any big sponsors or advertising campaigns. A lot of it is word of mouth.

So, if you're looking for a couple of hours of laughs, and want to come out feeling good about yourself for supporting the arts, head to the Marsh, at 22nd and Valencia. Be warned, though, that this is not your typical evening of art and culture - no well-dressed ushers, no hob-nobbing and sipping wine while munching on cheese. This is a bare-bones theater, and you might not even notice the place if you weren't looking for it. There's a cafe downstairs where you can get some coffee or hot (even white) chocolate while you wait for the doors to open. (You can take your beverage up with you.) The "theater" itself is tiny - there were about 60-70 people - and wooden benches it is - no VIP sections, no Orchestra, no Loge! Well, whaddaya expect for $15?

And if you're in the mood afterwards, head down to the Beauty Bar, 2-3 blocks down the road, and get your nails painted while you sip a drink.

Overall, two thumbs up for a highly entertaining, reasonably priced night out on the town.

-Leena