Bernhard delivers a loud tongue-lashing

In a perfect world, nobody would need validation of his or her worth, or comics to locate a pulse. In our world, however, thank heavens Sandra Bernhard is here to poke cultural pretensions with a poisoned cuticle stick.

And poke them she does in “Everything Bad & Beautiful” at the Silent Movie Theatre. This potent new solo show finds Bernhard in commanding form, greeting the current climate without losing her optimism.

As Nick Reece and Charlie Lustman’s lighting dims, the band enters (led on press night by guest violinist Lili Haydn). Bernhard follows, fabulous in floral print and upswept hair. “Don’t look at me,” she intones, mixing Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful” with hilarious Los Angeles memories.

From there, under co-director Reece’s watchful eye, Bernhard offers an electrifying fusion of lethal satire and sizzling rock ‘n’ roll. The celebrity jabs, foul-mouthed epigrams and pregnant pauses have new, mature poise that doubles their impact.

Bernhard dispatches the Iraq war with a yellow-ribbon magnet and acute comments. The 2004 presidential election leads to a John Kerry airport encounter and a devastating take on his wife.

Bernhard doesn’t spare the Bush women, either, especially her gasp-inducing vision of Rosa Parks dressing down Condoleezza Rice.

She rails about housekeepers, rhapsodizes over her girlfriend; also Barbra Streisand (“That’s a woman who knows what she thinks”). Bernhard’s struggles to observe Shabbat with her daughter while on tour, and recalled family mishigas in Flint, Mich., are priceless.

Moreover, Bernhard’s singing voice has become a powerful instrument. The band (musical director/drummer Lafrae Sci, keyboardist John Pahmer, guitarist Chris Jacks and vocalist Stephanie Littman) is smashing. So is the inimitable artist who fronts them, in her richest turn yet.

*

‘Sandra Bernhard: Everything Bad & Beautiful’

Where: Silent Movie Theatre, 611 N. Fairfax Ave., L.A.

When: 8 tonight, 5:30 and 8 p.m. Sunday. Call for rest of schedule

Ends: March 25

Price: $22.50 to $50

Contact: (323) 655-2520 or www.silentmovietheatre.com

Running time: 1 hour, 50 minutes