Sub-titled “Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive,” Selina Fillinger’s “POTUS,” directed by Curt Columbus, provides an hour and 45 minutes of non-stop farcical comedy that will leave the cast and the audience exhausted.

The play takes place in the foyer of the oval office where seven women come and go in a jumble of chaotic scenes ranging from slapstick to plays on words, but always with high energy and tongue-in-cheek.

While we never see the president, we know way too much about him, beginning with the crude word he called his wife at a press conference.

The cast is up for the demanding task, especially Mary Potts Dennis, the understudy who took over Deb Martin’s role as Harriet, chief of staff, when Martin injured her back.

Rachael Warren plays the press secretary who battles with Harriet and tries to protect POTUS from the White House journalist (Sara States).

In addition to the president’s choice of words, the women are also covering up for the president’s “dalliance,” Dusty (Tay Bass), a pushy, uninhibited woman who insists on entering the guarded door to his office.

To further muddy the waters, the president’s overbearing sister, Bernadette (Rachel Dulude), makes her presence known, complete with an ankle bracelet, seeking the president’s pardon.

All this comes together in complete chaos, filled with crude jokes, sarcasm, farce and out-of-control physical humor. Add to the mix the president’s wife (Jackie Davis) and secretary (Jenna Lea Scott) and you have more characters than you can handle.

While the president’s wife attempts to add some dignity to the chaos, his secretary is completely out of control, carrying farcical physical humor to new heights (or depths).

All this comes to a head at the end of the first act, when we are left to take a break and catch our breath after a most unfortunate incident.

The second act deals with a cover up and an opportunity to make sense of it all in a strange conclusion that will leave some cheering, and others a bit uncertain.

With due respect, the opening night audience loved it and gave the actors a long, loud standing ovation.

For me, it was a bit too far out of control.

POTUS is at Trinity Rep. through Sept. 22, then from Oct. 10-27. Call 351-4242 or go to www.trinityrep.com/attending/buy-tickets/ for tickets.