Will Ferrell has made a career out of sketches, TV appearances, and of course his movies of which showcase his own special brand of comedy. Any fan of his has seen everything down to his cameo appearances to even his stints on Saturday Night Live. In fact, during George W. Bush’s time as POTUS, Ferrell was notorious for playing a caricature of the former President. At the time critics raved over his impersonation of Bush, Ferrell taking jabs and over-exaggerating the current events of which the President was a part of. Once Bush finished his term, it didn’t stop there.
You’re Welcome America: A Final Night With George W. Bush would be written and eventually performed live on Broadway by Ferrell soon after Barrack Obama took office.
You’re Welcome America: A Final Night With George W. Bush would be written and eventually performed live on Broadway by Ferrell soon after Barrack Obama took office. With greyed hair, squinty eyes, and an overdone Texas accent, Ferrell would take the stage in the one man show to give the world one final sit down with former President Bush. As Bush, Ferrell takes the audience through brief periods of his time as POTUS, his early political career, and how he feels now that he’s no longer the Commander in Chief. Throughout the show, Ferrell pokes fun at all things Bush and even those who knew or were even around him during his political days. Whether it’s his family, decisions whilst in office, or just his personality, Ferrell pulls no punches with his comedic attacks (many of which Bush himself would probably chuckle at himself).
Ferrell excels at capturing the essence of who Bush was to the public, both on a physical level as well as on a more personal one. He manages to contort his facial expressions for the entire duration of the production so as to maintain his impression of Bush, and he more than succeeds at comically highlighting some of the more commonly known information regarding his private life. Not only does Ferrell move from one topic to the next with relative simplicity but he also manages to improvise regularly with the audience, insuring that his quips have to do with the subject he’s raised. The show is aided by popular music, a top notch lighting design, sophisticated stage FX and some projected slideshows that allow Ferrell to provide hilarious commentary. With the help of the production team and director Adam McKay, Ferrell vulgarly commands the live audience’s attention with facts, plenty of fiction, and everything in between.
This can be a fun show for anyone who doesn’t take themselves too seriously. Unfortunately there will always be people who are a bit put off depending on which President gets mentioned in the current day and age. Politically, Bush will always be somewhat of a polarizing figure, though to be fair most U.S. Presidents are in this millennium. As long as all of this can be checked at the door, Ferrell puts on an enjoyable performance with no other aim but to entertain. The recorded version is on multiple platforms, so take an evening and give it a look.
