'The Best Man' reasserts its political shrewdness

'The Best Man' reasserts its political shrewdness

There has been no shortage of terrific contenders for "top-of-the-ticket" in this fall's highly competitive local theater campaign. But this particular delegate from Chicago is proudly and unequivocally casting her ballot for the spiky, savage, wonderfully sophisticated Remy Bumppo Theatre Company revival of "The Best Man." Gore Vidal's clipped, cutting, brilliantly insightful evocation of the American political scene -- and the array of flawed creatures who buzz around it -- is a winner on every level.

Though Vidal's play bowed on the stage in 1960 -- as the Eisenhower years were about to cede to Kennedy's "Camelot" days -- it retains the delicious smell of fresh ink and hot blood. The characters' clothing may be vintage (credit designer Cybele Moon), but there's little else that is not very much of the moment -- whether it's talk about the candidates' character, the careful massaging of image, the impact of polls, the temptation for mud-slinging, the propensity for womanizing, or the do's and don'ts of political wives.

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