Image courtesy ACCEL productions/Capital Fringe

By DCist Contributor Rachel Kurzius

In Up for Debate, three candidates to replace an Idaho congressman gather in a university’s Paul Walker Memorial Auditorium to hash out the issues and win votes. Their debate comprises the entirety of the show, with intermittent flashbacks and dream sequences.

And what a forum it is. Like a Republican debate that includes Donald Trump, the show is heavy on gags and light on substance. Republican candidate John W. Wallace (Joseph Cooney) likes to bring up the dead congressman and refer to his flashcards for “zingers” that will endear him to the younger generation. Libertarian Kevin Sampson (John Leach) admits that “the main reason I’m here is because my internet is down and my mom didn’t want to argue with me.” And Ivan Chekovitch (Jack Cashmere, who has a great Russian accent but can’t stop smiling) is a socialist longing for the good old days of the USSR. Whether Chekovitch’s redistributionist policies are supposed to ape the Democrats or writer/director Luke Mullan wanted to spare the donkeys from the ensuing madness is unclear.

The beleaguered moderator (Phillip Kiley) acts as the straight man for this bunch, after recording artist Sammy Amarillo (Cooney again, this time showing off a nice set of pipes) sings the alleged Idaho anthem—“I’da Go to Idaho,” an original number written by Mullan and performed with help from pianist Brian Claeys. And if you’re looking for an immersive theater experience, plop next to a teenage boy sitting by his lonesome. He might just be an audience plant.

Pepsi Max’s sponsorship of the debate leads to many laughs. Another rewarding ongoing joke is the quest to figure out how to refer to the people of Idaho (Idahumbugs is my personal favorite). Other bits have diminishing returns, like Chekovitch’s answers becoming flashbacks to his younger self (Joe Clancy), which lose their verve over time and have some ugly stereotypes about Russians.

Mullan and his cast are all recently graduated high schoolers, and through that lens Up for Debate is a precocious, pleasant, and often funny performance. The youth and relative inexperience comes off endearing, though professional, buttoned-up theater this is not.

Up For Debate is playing at the Atlas Performing Arts Center Lab II. Remaining performances are:

Wednesday, July 15 at 8:30 p.m.
Wednesday, July 22 at 8:15 p.m.
Thursday, July 23 at 6:15 p.m.