The White House Murder Case: Not much wit in the White House

Jules Fieffer's 1970 White House farce focuses on a U.S. President mired in an unpopular war and facing elections. So far, so promising.
Sadly, even though the story is set 30 to 40 years in the future (ie, now), and even though little seems to have changed since Feiffer penned it, his comedy is a toothless satire.
Feiffer has a good ear for political euphemism, using phrases like ‘counter-achieved’ to describe a catastrophe.

The actors are left groping around for their characters¿ non-existent hearts and minds

But it just feels like a weak mix of Mash and Catch 22 — with a bit of West Wing thrown in.
The play needs to be much snappier.

 

The actors are left groping around for their characters’ non-existent hearts and minds, rather than just focusing on their wise-cracking.
Samantha Coughlan has fun as a ball-busting, Hillary Clinton-esque First Lady.
But Bruce Alexander needed to be much more panic-stricken as President to persuade me something serious is at stake.

It it just feels like a weak mix of Mash and Catch 22 ¿ with a bit of West Wing thrown in