Fear’s become such a powerful force in American life that I admit to being concerned as I approached the Dudley Riggs Theatre on Saturday night. Would the latest comedy revue from Brave New Workshop — the company founded by the venue’s namesake over 60 years ago — live up to Riggs’ reputation for encouraging comedy that’s as audacious and irreverent as possible? Or would it seek a safer route?
Well, my worries were unfounded, for “Hypocralypse Now” holds true to the principle that if you see something stupid, you should say something. In this case, director Caleb McEwen, his company of five performers and music director Jon Pumper have created a high-energy mix of sketches and songs that address what they see as maddening contradictions currently pervading American culture.
“Hypocralypse Now” may be uneven in comedic quality, but it’s scathingly funny at its best. Such scenes usually come when the cast takes us to Washington, D.C., and unleashes its collective imagination upon the chaos of the current administration. Yes, the president makes a cameo or two, but the focus here is more on the ways in which his supporters can tie themselves into ethical knots to justify their actions.
The show is spiced with songs that tap into retro styles in witty fashion, from the maraca-shaking soca calypso of the opening “Hypocrisy” to the industrial hip-hop of “Complain Online” (the unsatisfying solution to your suffering) to a tutorial on internet truth seeking, “Two Clicks More,” set to the tune of Dolly Parton’s 1978 hit, “Two Doors Down.”
But you may need an even more expansive long-term memory to fully appreciate the cleverness of the show’s best song, a takeoff on the old “Schoolhouse Rock” civics lesson, “Only a Bill,” in which Doug Neithercott tries to sing us through the ingredients list for the “Big Beautiful” budget bill. It’s one of a handful of scenes that Neithercott steals, alongside channeling the vindictive spirit of White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and the sycophantic social climbing of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.
If this revue feels like a big step forward for Neithercott’s way with comedic characterizations, the same could also be said for Isabella Dunsieth. Always the sunniest member of any Brave New Workshop cast she’s been in (and, hence, a foil for her more cynical castmates), Dunsieth delights with her portrayals of a conservative Christian cooking show host who confronts some confounding quandaries and, especially, the denial-driven frontwoman for a ’60s-style girl group who inspires an intervention from her backup singers.
And what a pleasure it is to have Taj Ruler back in the BNW fold, even if the sketches don’t give her quite enough to do and the ones that do peter out after making their point. The same description could be used for a hapless attempt to address Israel and Palestine and a Trump press conference that’s reduced to one way-too-long fart joke.
So yes, it’s uneven, but, when it’s on, the comic timing is excellent, and Lauren Anderson and Denzel Belin always give it a shot of adrenaline when it flags. If the current state of things has inspired your anger or exasperation, you might find this show cathartic. And not the least bit safe.
Rob Hubbard can be reached at wordhub@yahoo.com.
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Brave New Workshop’s ‘Hypocralypse Now’
When: Through Nov. 1
Where: Dudley Riggs Theatre, 824 Hennepin Ave. S., Mpls.
Tickets: $51, available at hennepinarts.org
Capsule: Uneven in comedic quality, but biting at its best.
