Musical Satire ‘Both Barrels’ Hits the Bull’s-Eye

Just as one is lamenting the death of wit in modern culture, along comes “Both Barrels: A Salvo of John Forster Songs” at LunaPark. A dazzling musical satirist, Forster shines forth like a bright light in an intellectual wasteland. Forster’s lyrics are reminiscent of Cole Porter at his peak, with a little Tom Lehrer tossed in. Make no mistake: Forster is no retro phenomenon; on the contrary, he’s an unfailingly mordant social satirist who brilliantly implodes the inanities of contemporary mores.

The exceptional cast--Wanda Houston, Paul Kreppel, Gerry McIntyre, David Naughton and Elisa Surmont--tears through Forster’s meaty music with obvious delight. Kreppel underpins his deceptively insouciant staging with adamantine timing, and Murphy Cross’ inspired choreography gets maximum mileage out of this postage-stamp stage. Under the astute musical direction of Steve Orich, the evening is one continuous succession of showstoppers.

The opening number, “In the Closet,” savagely sends up the contradictory implications of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gay members. “Co-dependent,” performed by Houston, gives a new slant to the old-fashioned torch song: “You hold your breath, dear, and I turn blue, ‘cause I’m so co-dependent on you. . . . You unstable you, I’ll enable you.”

The lyrically offbeat “Spores” rhapsodizes the virtues of asexual reproduction. “Figaro Todd” is a portmanteau parody that simultaneously skewers both Rossini and Sondheim. “The Big Mac Tree,” a driving calypso number spearheaded by McIntyre, lampoons the devastation of rain forests by Western commercial interests. And the cheeky finale, “The All Purpose Carol,” is a hilarious holiday pastiche for the ‘90s. If you don’t fall out of your chair laughing, consult your doctor.

BE THERE

“Both Barrels,” LunaPark, 665 N. Robertson Blvd., West Hollywood. Fridays-Saturdays, 7:30 p.m. Ends Nov. 28. $15. (310) 652-0611. Running time: 1 hour, 30 minutes.