MAKING THE FRINGE GREAT AGAIN (The Waitstaff): 2016 Fringe review 33

—What’s wrong with Donald Trump?
—Beside him being completely unfuckable he’s not very nice to women.
The Waitstaff, “The Real Housewives of South Philadelphia”, MAKING THE FRINGE GREAT AGAIN.

15. WaitStaff, MAKING THE FRINGE GREAT  AGAIN

“Fringe,” says the Waitstaff’s Sara Carano in the first skit of the perennially funny company’s 2016 offering, “is like Christmas without all the bullshit”, and not just because of all the hanging balls you see (ahem, “Brian Sanders’ JUNK”). With an hour of original sketches (and no nudity), MAKING THE FRINGE GREAT AGAIN is a welcome present.

As the title indicates, there are plenty of au courant jokes about the presidential candidates, “Cheeto Jesus” and “Ball-Busting Bitch in a Pantsuit” in the code of Secret Service agents Jim Boyle, Chris McGovern, and Eric Singel. Waitstaff favorites The Real Housewives of South Philadelphia (Carano and Gerre Garrett) return in a few skits, and the trashy pair are unsurprisingly won over by the appeals of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders (“Feel the Burn” bedazzled on the “vajajay”!). Beyond Trump, there are humorous takes on Joseph’s bachelor party and the dubious virgin birth (“no one is ever gonna believe that ridiculous story”), Yossarian finding a whole new “Catch 69” in the whims of women, and Comcast-induced suicide. There’s probably no type of theater harder than sketch comedy; not every joke or sketch hits and references to Archie Bunker and I Love Lucy stretch cultural memory. As Carano sings in her yuletide-themed intro, “if you’re looking for smart or great art, you won’t find it here,” but you might find a “Most Wonderful Time.”

[L’Etage Cabaret, 624 S. 6th Street] September 9-23, 2016fringearts.com/making-fringe-great.

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