Theater Online - New York Theater Reviews

Foggy Bottom is a real neighborhood in Washington D. C. where our government's State Department offices are located, as well as the setting for the theatrical location of the office of Pat Simon, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs (not real). "Foggy Bottom" is an extremely humorous and often thought-proving play in which playwright James Armstrong uses political realities and unadulterated farce (perhaps too often a reality in our Nation's Capitol) for his characters' shenanigans.

Upon being seated at Abingdon Theater Company's intimate Dorothy Strelsin Theatre, the perceptive theatergoer might possibility get an inkling of the political, social and personal escapade to follow by observing Gabriel Hanier Evansohn's set, which sure looks like a federal office (desk, phone, flag, bar . . .), but the curtain rod and door frames are a bit askew (leaning to the left . . . or stage right) and then there are the three doors (two closets“).

Indeed, the antics are not far behind as the Assistant Secretary's workplace is being used by an underling (Dick, delightfully played with Bill Clintonesque charm by Dan Cordle) late at night to obtain sexual favors from three young women by promising them green cards. Jo Mei, Susanna Guzmán, and Angel Polite do splendid jobs of using ethnic stereotypes to get laughs while also conveying the reasons why the promise of living in America is so appealing. Jeremy Beiler (Dick's nerdy and idealistic associate Bill) also manages to blend a formulaic persona with dramatic credibility, as do Maja Wampuszyc, Richard Zekaria and Denise Bessette whose characters add wonderful surprises-purposefully withheld here-to the play's comic, suspenseful and thematic development. All eight cast members, impeccably orchestrated by director Rob Urbinati, display wonderful comic and dramatic timing.

Abingdon's press material states that its artistic directors "select plays that tell stories, plays that have recognizable characters that speak to the human condition . . . plays that reflect the social issues of our time . . . plays that challenge our audiences to consider the social and political state of our world." They have certainly succeeded by way of their present production.

With all of its absurd situations and truly funny happenings, "Foggy Bottom" may not appear to be a political play, yet its setting and some poignant dialogue ("Say what you need to get what you want," "When all else fails, you tell the truth," and "It is what you do that matters.") can certainly give one things to ponder after experiencing wonderfully satisfying theater.