What five words first come to mind when you hear The Americans? This is what the award-winning American comedian, Jeff Kreisler, has been asking people on his travels. From his findings, hes created a satirical comedy that ticks all the anti-Bush boxes, but fails to say anything truly political.
Meet Sam American. He is a Budweiser-drinking, flag-flying patriot struggling with the war at home. His wife, Libby, is a freedom-loving gal whose priorities include yoga, therapy and womens liberation. Their daughter, America (or Mary for short), who wants to be a pop star and carries her purse-sized dog everywhere she goes, culminates her teenage rebellion by declaring her own country in the kitchen.
Kreisler, who also plays Sam, has crafted a laugh-out-loud script that touches on all the expected clichés. Scenes such as Americas refusal to grant Libby entry into her country will resonate with anyone who has ever applied for a US visa, and everyone must smile in recognition at the projected interludes showing members of British public expressing our oft-heard prejudices against the stars and stripes.
It may be easy to chuckle at such humour in the current political climate, but I was left wanting more. What are the true implications of such stereotypes? What does it say about those of us willing to laugh at them? While this performance has the potential to turn the ridicule around on its audience, to ask us to challenge our easy acceptance of anti-Americanism, in actuality it does little more than inform us that Americans too can laugh at Americans.
