Ashley Montana Goes Ashore in the Caicos, or, What Am I Doing Here? is the name of a show by Roger Rosenblatt directed by Jim Simpson. By it's end, I, too, felt the way of the "or." I went because that great star and Tony winner, Bebe Neuwirth, is in it. Essentially, Ashley Montana features a four-person sketch-comedy troupe with competent performers, some cute, lightly political bits, clever plays on words and fun non sequiturs, but only some jokes work, and lots of the material doesn't. When one hits, we keep wishing more would. Basically, there's not enough real bite or consistent humor. Of course, when Bebe sings, it's a different show -- she's magnetic and I wanted more. But when we have Bill Maher, or Jon Stewart, or the revue that comes in once a year from Washington, Capitol Steps, for political humor, this show is a try that misses.
Rosenblatt calls it "Almost a Play" -- it's Almost a Show, and needs to go a long way to be a full evening's entertainment.
