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Ghost of John McCain, the Off Broadway musical comedy that sent Meghan McCain into a summer-long pre-opening tizzy, has arrived after months of free publicity.
A modestly entertaining, fitfully clever political satire that takes place entirely within the frazzled head of Donald Trump, a place that looks a lot like a three-star hotel lobby populated by the likes of, among others, the late Arizona senator, Hillary Clinton, Eva Peron, Taylor Swift, Joe Biden, Lindsey Graham and a Melania-Ivanka mash-up referred to simply as Daughter-Wife.
Ghost of John McCain ultimately comes off as a nicely performed, conceptually overcooked 90-minute SNL cold open set to an amiably cartoonish show tune score.
With a book by Scott Elmegreen, a score by Drew Fornarola and direction by Catie Davis, Ghost of John McCain was co-conceived by McCain’s first chief of staff Grant Woods, and a gentle affection for the “Maverick” underlines the entire affair despite plenty of equal-opportunity barbs. Ultimately, there’s only one villain here (and he wasn’t invited to McCain’s funeral).
The musical begins with the 2018 death of McCain, who arrives onstage spiffily dressed in a white suit, lugging a wheeled tote and, as played engagingly by Jason Tam, looking not a day older than when he was released from the Hanoi Hilton. In the jaunty musical number “Heaven or a Three-Star Hotel,” McCain wonders where, exactly, he’s landed.
When Roy Cohn and Hillary Clinton (initially clad in a red devil costume) show up, we, and McCain, quickly ascertain that this otherworldly summit is taking place entirely in the head of Donald Trump. With his death lending him a renewed aura of heroism, McCain, like the others, has taken up residence in the ever-churning mind of the envious, petty 45.
Also in attendance: an inner-child 14-year-old version of Trump himself, who both needles and kowtows to the booming, boorish (and offstage) voice of the adult iteration. Convincingly played by 23-year-old Luke Kolbe Mannikus, Boy Trump is equal parts adolescent goof, insecure braggart and Joffrey Baratheon.
If the concept feels stretched, Ghost of John McCain contains enough highlights – usually when Mannikus’ Kid Trump is front and center – to go down easily. At points Elmegreen’s book lands some genuine insight, as when the young Trump and McCain square off in a debate to win over a generic, undecided Karen: Each donning a mask of the other, the two candidates begin reciting actual quotes from their opponent, a veritable litany of flip-flopping and self-owns.
Best, though, is a revelation at the end that gives new purpose both to the story and its characters. Not one of them, except the Karen, will be leaving this hellscape anytime soon, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. As another play featuring Roy Cohn once put it, the great work begins.
Title: Ghost Of John McCain
Venue: Off Broadway’s SoHo Playhouse Theatre
Director: Catie Davis
Book: Scott Elmegreen
Music: Drew Fornarola
Cast: Jason Tam, Luke Kolbe Mannikus, Aaron Michael Ray, Zonya Love, Lindsay Nicole Chambers and Ben Fankhauser.
Running time: 1 hr 30 min (no intermission)
