Obama Break Dances in San Rafael

Mike Mize plays Sophia Vespucci to Cassidy Brown's Amerigo Vespucci. In the middle, Darren Bridgett plays ukelele

Photo by Eric Chazankin

Marin Shakes’ newest production is a spoof that inflicts irreverent mayhem upon the body of American history. Under the trees in San Rafael, The Complete History of America (abridged) recounts events since 1492 and tangentially earlier with only coincidental relationship to the facts. The energy of the three players keeps the timeline churning in the outdoor theater. They go through many costume quick-changes to become anyone from Ben Franklin to B. Obama.

Reed Martin of Sonoma, creator of the play and original cast member (along with Austin Tichenor and Adam Long) wrote it to be improvisational. “In all of our shows we include places to insert local and topical references,” he says. He updated this production to make sure Marin Shakes had the latest version. He edited out Bill Clinton and added W. Bush and Obama. The use of anachronisms and non-sequiturs in this ten-year-old parody of our culture keeps it fresh and current.

On an opening night fraught with danger and annoyances (July 30), the breathless cast of local actors found every one of Reed’s places to insert local and topical references. They took some right-wing digs at Berkeley. A persistent car alarm turned into fodder for laughs. Even a major technical glitch couldn’t stop them.

Darren Bridgett, Cassidy Brown and Mick Mize create an array of familiar characters against a colorful background. They work well together within the script while quickly and seamlessly slipping in another impromptu joke at any opportunity. They are very good at focusing on non-scripted banter and some unexpected mockery of each other, making you believe that they planned it that way. One actor accidentally took a prat fall but carried on like a trouper, giving rise to jokes about splinters.

From an opening scene about the origin of the name of our country to a choice of modern finales, the misguided slapstick humor is incisive. To begin the story, Cassidy plays Amerigo Vespucci with a ship’s helm, Mick plays wife Sophia Vespucci with a Chianti bottle and Darren plays a ukulele. Sophia complains that Amerigo’s name is all over the map.

Running through the years, the actors assume many different characters in quick succession with varying levels of inhabitation. Darren is somewhat mechanical in ensemble scenes, but he is more involved in his solo scenes, such as when he becomes didactic with his easel presentation. He takes mischievous joy in off-color jokes. Cassidy remains stoically patient until the Dance of the Antelope Intestines. Thank you Cassidy for stopping Darren and Mike from singing. Mike Mize as Obama with a partial mask does some amusing break dancing.

In the end, they try to define our post-war sensibilities. Cassidy insists it is all Broadway show tunes and wants to sing and dance. Darren argues that it is “film noir mystery” and becomes Sam Spade. Mike does a stunning star turn as Lucille Ball.

After all the cynicism they give you an encore of a “happy ending.” They run it all backwards. It is a stirringly visual moment when they describe the Twin Towers rising heroically out of the ground.

The Complete History of America (abridged) by Marin Shakespeare Company plays through September 25 at the Forest Meadows Amphitheatre, 1475 Grand Avenue, San Rafael. Tickets ($20 to $35) are available online at marinshakespeare.org or by phone at 415.499.4488.
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