What I liked
While polish and professionalism don’t always yield an impactful experience, the cast of SOB combine masterful preparation with empathy and a passion for the pursuit of power that immerses the audience; I couldn’t help but feel a creeping sense of dread as the machinations behind Dukakis’ fall (and the futile efforts to resist them) reverberate today. This play causes me to wish things had happened differently in our political past and deeply concerns me for our collective future.
What I didn't like
It might have been interesting to address Atwater’s response to his terminal brain cancer closely following the ‘88 election, though the way the playwright dealt with Atwater’s death was subtle (and further dread inducing, given its implications for the rise of W. Bush) and leaves the audience curious in a way that I appreciate.
My overall impression
Impeccable performances all around concerning a moment in US political history that predicts our contemporary troubles. Ben and Luke’s respective portrayals of Atwater and W. Bush are utterly persuasive.
