By Eric George Tauber
SAN DIEGO — When I was first introduced to the Tom Lehrer canon as an early teen, I didn’t quite get all of the references. But I was definitely tickled by his wry wit and biting sarcasm. His compositions are largely reminiscent of great American show tunes while his lyrics poke fun at politics from an “earnest liberal” point of view.
Lehrer’s material was considered inappropriate for radio in those days, 1953-1965, but his popularity grew by word-of-mouth with most of his LPs going to northeastern college towns. As the War in Vietnam heated up, political discourse got uglier and as images of napalmed villages and wounded soldiers invaded our living rooms, it got a lot harder to be funny. Not that it stopped him from lampooning weed-smoking hippies in “Folk Song Army.”
If you feel dissatisfaction,
Strum your frustrations away.
Some people may prefer action,
But give me a folk song any old day.
Tomfoolery, the musical review of the Tom Lehrer canon, is much like the man and his concerts. It’s not glitzy. There’s no orchestra nor big dance numbers, just four singers, a piano, a bare set and an audience savvy enough to get the gags. But the thing about political comedy and social satire is that it hits the buttons of its day. So I wondered how true his material would still ring. The answer: Very.
“Pollution” is sadly never out of date. If anything, “Who’s Next?” a song about nuclear proliferation, is even more apt today than it was then.
Egypt’s gonna get one too,
Just to use on you know who.
So Israel’s getting tense.
Wants one in self defense.
“The Lord’s our shepherd,” says the Psalm,
But just in case, we better get a bomb.
Who’s next?
But just as important as the material is the quartet of singers, Andrew Barnacle, Sarah Errington, Christine Hewitt and Lance Arthur Smith. All veterans of musical theatre, they came together nicely as an ensemble, spinning dark comedy with light hearts like four good friends at a bar, making for a delightfully fun evening.
Tomfoolery is not for the faint of heart nor the easily offended. The chuckles come with an uncomfortable squirm. If we didn’t laugh, we’d hide under the bed. But if you need a good laugh –and who the hell doesn’t- then get to the North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach. But get there soon. Tomfoolery closes on Sunday, August 27th.
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Tauber is a freelance writer specializing in coverage of the arts. He may be contacted via eric.tauber@sdjewishworld.com
Thank you Eric. The show and cast are really quite magnificent and the talent of the quartet on stage coupled with the brilliant sardonic wit of Lehrer is really entertaining.