Ashley Montana Goes Ashore in the Caicos... Or What Am I Doing Here?

It's a textbook example of "Too Little, Too Late." Essayist and novelist Roger Rosenblatt's sketch comedy show Ashley Montana Goes Ashore in the Caicos... or What Am I Doing Here? might have been more amusing if its satirical barbs were more focused, or less rusty. After all, do we need more jokes about how addicted New Yorkers are to their cell phones? Or about how the government is inept? Or about Baby-Boomer angst? It's all been done before, and usually with more zings, too.

Despite an excellent cast, the lengthy title, partially lifted from the cover of 1991's Swimsuit Edition of Sports Illustrated, is more interest-piquing than anything in the revue itself. While individual moments can bring about some smiles or self-reflection, the show rarely evokes any genuine laughs or introspection. A mock infomercial in which two retirees describe their prison-cum-retirement home goes on far too long for a single-joke sketch, as does a routine that has deposed FEMA chief Michael Brown reduced to playing piano in a New Orleans nightclub. Yes, it's cute, but the best satire has some bite, which is what this collection is sorely missing.

It is to Rosenblatt's credit, then, that he was somehow able to secure such an impressive cast, and it is to said cast's credit that they are able to deftly rise above the weak writing. Broadway legend Bebe Neuwirth makes the most of what she is given, and is at her peak performing a sardonic ode to John Ashcroft with her trademark dry glee. Jenn Harris, late of Silence! The Musical evokes Gilda Radner at her most delightfully bizarre, Jeffrey DeMunn gives some emotional depth to the ponderous soliloquies with which he is saddled, and James Waterston is equally adept at singing, playing the piano, and playing George W. Bush.

Jim Simpson's direction is often as random as the writing, sometimes effectively highlighting the comedy and pathos, and sometimes not. The more emotional moments seem to be Mr. Simpson's forte, which provides some solid grounding for the otherwise rather aimless sketches. The lighter moments, on the other hand, often feel groundless.

Tried-and-true can often work in comedy, but satire, by its very nature, must always be sharp and original if it is going to hit any bull's-eyes. When Bill Maher, Jon Stewart, and Saturday Night Live have already tackled a subject, it's probably best to find some original spin for it rather than merely rehashing what's been said before. May Mr. Rosenblatt's next foray into playwriting be more focused.

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