Theater Review: Ballots, Blunders, and Belly Laughs: The Outsider Wins by a Landslide
Wednesday, March 4, 2026
The Outsider By Paul Slade Smith
Directed by Tammis Doyle
Driftwood Players at the Wade James Theatre
February 27-March 22, 2026
Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 2pm
Purchase tickets here or by phone at 425-774-9600.
Discounted tickets for groups of 10+ people are also available.
Edmonds Driftwood Players brings timely political satire to the stage with The Outsider by Paul Slade Smith, a sharp and spirited comedy that gleefully skewers the machinery of modern politics while celebrating the resilient absurdity of democracy itself.
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| Keith Dahlgren (Ned Newley), Mark Sparks (Arthur Vance), Jack Anderson (Dave Riley) Photo by Dale Sutton |
Ned Newley doesn’t even want to be governor. Public speaking leaves him paralyzed, his poll numbers are impressively abysmal, and his own team doubts he can survive the spotlight. Yet political consultant Arthur Vance sees opportunity in the chaos. Perhaps, he suggests, the worst possible candidate is exactly what the public is looking for. From that delicious premise unfolds a fast-moving, razor-smart farce in which every attempt to control the narrative only makes it spiral further out of control.
This production moves like a runaway train—in the best possible way. Each misstep feeds the next, creating a comedic ouroboros of escalating disasters that grow sharper and funnier by the minute. The banter is crisp, the timing impeccable, and the audience remains utterly locked in, eager to see how the next political domino falls.
Director Tammis Doyle orchestrates the chaos with a confident hand, allowing the humor to build naturally while grounding the characters in recognizable human truth.
A particularly memorable scene occurs during Ned Newley’s first entrance into the governor’s office. Alone onstage, he bounces tentatively on the couch, fiddles with tchotchkes, and lowers himself into the office chair as though it were a throne. The physical comedy is precise and relatable, instantly endearing him to the audience and establishing the production’s balance of heart and hilarity.
As Ned Newley, Keith Dahlgren delivers a performance rich in physical nuance and emotional sincerity. His body language makes Ned’s anxiety tangible without ever reducing him to a punchline. Instead, Dahlgren charts a satisfying journey from crippling self-doubt to tentative self-awareness. Watching Ned begin to understand how to navigate the political machine is both hilarious and genuinely uplifting, leaving the sense that this reluctant leader may just grow into the role after all.
Mark Sparks embodies Arthur Vance, the slick, fast-talking strategist, with gleeful precision. His used-car-salesman charm is immediately suspect yet irresistibly persuasive. Sparks allows Arthur to figuratively wink at the audience, inviting everyone in on the joke that politics is often orchestrated by idiots, and no one knows what they are doing even and especially them. His confident delivery and razor timing make Arthur both the architect of the chaos and its master of ceremonies.
Hannah Coleman shines as Paige Caldwell, the data-driven pollster whose devotion to statistics borders on religious fervor. Coleman’s sharp comic instincts are on full display, particularly in her pitch-perfect impression of Ned, which brings the house down. Beyond the laughs, she traces Paige’s arc with subtle control, allowing rigid certainty to soften in believable increments. The gradual shift in her perspective feels earned, and Coleman handles the transitions with admirable restraint.
Jack Anderson’s Dave Riley serves as the production’s emotional barometer. Anderson leans into Dave’s unraveling with fearless commitment, delivering a spectacular “crash out” after one especially absurd turn of events that is both painfully recognizable and wildly funny. At the same time, he grounds the character with earnest loyalty, anchoring the play’s more outlandish moments in emotional truth.
Gina Wilhelm brings buoyant charm to Louise Peakes, striking a careful balance between sunny optimism and blissful overconfidence. The role could easily tip into caricature, but Wilhelm keeps Louise delightfully self-assured and utterly sincere. With bright energy and impeccable timing, she transforms what could be a throwaway comic role into a memorable source of joyful chaos.
Joy Ghigleri’s Rachel Parsons provides a steady and intelligent counterpoint to the escalating farce. Serving as a voice of reason amid the whirlwind, she often echoes what the audience is thinking with perfectly timed reactions. Ghigleri plays the role with clarity and composure, allowing subtle expressions and measured delivery to land with quiet but significant impact.
Doug Knoop rounds out the ensemble as A.C. Peterson with grounded confidence. Knoop brings an easy authenticity to the role, complementing the broader comedic beats happening around him. His steady presence helps flesh out the political landscape and reinforces the sense that this whirlwind unfolds within a fully realized world.
The chemistry among the cast is undeniable. Each actor commits fully to the heightened circumstances while maintaining emotional truth, resulting in a production that feels cohesive and impeccably cast. The ensemble’s rhythm keeps the dialogue snapping and the momentum surging forward without pause.
In politically tumultuous times, The Outsider offers something invaluable: the chance to laugh at the absurdity of the system while still believing in the people trying to navigate it. It is quick, clever, and disarmingly heartfelt.
If you need a good laugh—and truly, who doesn’t right now—this is the play to see. I strongly recommend grabbing a ticket, settling into your seat, and letting yourself laugh until it hurts.
After all, if we can’t trust the polls, we can at least trust that The Outsider delivers a landslide victory in comedy.
 |
| Keith Dahlgren (Ned Newley), Gina Wilhelm (Louise Peakes), Joy Ghigleri (Rachel Parsons) Photo by Dale Sutton |
As Ned Newley, Keith Dahlgren delivers a performance rich in physical nuance and emotional sincerity. His body language makes Ned’s anxiety tangible without ever reducing him to a punchline. Instead, Dahlgren charts a satisfying journey from crippling self-doubt to tentative self-awareness. Watching Ned begin to understand how to navigate the political machine is both hilarious and genuinely uplifting, leaving the sense that this reluctant leader may just grow into the role after all.
Mark Sparks embodies Arthur Vance, the slick, fast-talking strategist, with gleeful precision. His used-car-salesman charm is immediately suspect yet irresistibly persuasive. Sparks allows Arthur to figuratively wink at the audience, inviting everyone in on the joke that politics is often orchestrated by idiots, and no one knows what they are doing even and especially them. His confident delivery and razor timing make Arthur both the architect of the chaos and its master of ceremonies.
 |
| Hannah Coleman (Paige Caldwell), Jack Anderson (Dave Riley) Photo by Dale Sutton |
Hannah Coleman shines as Paige Caldwell, the data-driven pollster whose devotion to statistics borders on religious fervor. Coleman’s sharp comic instincts are on full display, particularly in her pitch-perfect impression of Ned, which brings the house down. Beyond the laughs, she traces Paige’s arc with subtle control, allowing rigid certainty to soften in believable increments. The gradual shift in her perspective feels earned, and Coleman handles the transitions with admirable restraint.
Jack Anderson’s Dave Riley serves as the production’s emotional barometer. Anderson leans into Dave’s unraveling with fearless commitment, delivering a spectacular “crash out” after one especially absurd turn of events that is both painfully recognizable and wildly funny. At the same time, he grounds the character with earnest loyalty, anchoring the play’s more outlandish moments in emotional truth.
Gina Wilhelm brings buoyant charm to Louise Peakes, striking a careful balance between sunny optimism and blissful overconfidence. The role could easily tip into caricature, but Wilhelm keeps Louise delightfully self-assured and utterly sincere. With bright energy and impeccable timing, she transforms what could be a throwaway comic role into a memorable source of joyful chaos.
Joy Ghigleri’s Rachel Parsons provides a steady and intelligent counterpoint to the escalating farce. Serving as a voice of reason amid the whirlwind, she often echoes what the audience is thinking with perfectly timed reactions. Ghigleri plays the role with clarity and composure, allowing subtle expressions and measured delivery to land with quiet but significant impact.
 |
| Doug Knoop (A.C. Petersen), Keith Dahlgren (Ned Newley), Joy Ghigleri (Rachel Parsons) Photo by Dale Sutton |
Doug Knoop rounds out the ensemble as A.C. Peterson with grounded confidence. Knoop brings an easy authenticity to the role, complementing the broader comedic beats happening around him. His steady presence helps flesh out the political landscape and reinforces the sense that this whirlwind unfolds within a fully realized world.
The chemistry among the cast is undeniable. Each actor commits fully to the heightened circumstances while maintaining emotional truth, resulting in a production that feels cohesive and impeccably cast. The ensemble’s rhythm keeps the dialogue snapping and the momentum surging forward without pause.
In politically tumultuous times, The Outsider offers something invaluable: the chance to laugh at the absurdity of the system while still believing in the people trying to navigate it. It is quick, clever, and disarmingly heartfelt.
If you need a good laugh—and truly, who doesn’t right now—this is the play to see. I strongly recommend grabbing a ticket, settling into your seat, and letting yourself laugh until it hurts.
After all, if we can’t trust the polls, we can at least trust that The Outsider delivers a landslide victory in comedy.
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