A Patriot Act: The Trial of George W. Bush

Reviewing this unusual, interactive show—partly scripted and partly spontaneous (including testimony from audience members)—may not be the best way to discuss it. Each performance is unique, no two alike. But we can safely say that playwright Todd Blakesley is working a spectrum that includes moments of inspired philosophical comedy (a la George Bernard Shaw) but also taps into the partisan documentary style of filmmaker Michael Moore. There are occasional slow spots in these proceedings, which don’t always crackle with the dramatic energy evident during the televised impeachment hearings during the Watergate scandal in the ‘70s. But by putting the audience into the action, you’re forced to ask yourself some difficult questions about how we acted (or didn’t act) as the war clouds gathered over Iraq. The show also reminds us that an awful lot of Democrats initially voted to approve the war. We loved the old quotes from Presidents Eisenhower (about “the military-industrial complex”) and Carter (about over-reliance on imported oil)—their remarks now sound prophetic. You can also enjoy performances by slender, intense Athena Bergen as a defense attorney, and Jeff Kravitz and Michael Garabedian (both attorneys in real life) as prosecutors. Produced by California Stage at The Space, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays; $15-$19. 2509 R Street; (916) 451-5822; www.calstage.org. Through October 7.