Jason Tam (center) with Ben Fankhauser, Aaron Michael Ray, Zonya Love, Luke Kolbe Mannikus, and Lindsay Nicole Chambers Photo by Evan Zimmerman

Fans of "Saturday Night Live," and, for that matter, those of Forbidden Broadway, know that trenchant satire does not have a very long shelf life. Scott Elemegreen's book and Drew Fornarola's songs are chock-full of references to familiar tidbits like Sarah Palin going rogue, Trump's rumored penchant for golden showers, and drinking bleach to cure COVID. The jokes seem over worn and fusty now, especially considering there has been a wealth of great Trump material in the past few weeks alone.

The conceit, admittedly, is a tantalizing one. Freshly deceased, John McCain (Jason Tam, who is thoroughly winning) finds himself in a three-star-wannabe-five-star hotel, but he soon realizes that rather than heaven or hell, his ghost has been consigned to Trump's chaotic brain. (Lawrence E. Moten III designed the set, shown to the best advantage by Colleen Doherty's lighting, which nods to Trump's taste for garish and tacky décor.) Only if he is willing to admit (and fully believe) that Trump "is the greatest president who's ever lived" will he be released.

McCain joins a host of other figures (many of whom are still very much alive) who consume Trump's thoughts. First, there's sycophantic and sadomasochistic Lindsey Graham (Ben Fankhauser, who also plays Joe Biden, Roy Cohn, a cheeky hotel receptionist, and others), in full BDSM attire. Naturally, Hillary Clinton (Lindsay Nicole Chambers, who also notably appears as a mash-up of Melania and Ivanka, referred to as Daughter-Wife) haunts Trump, as does Barack Obama (Aaron Michael Ray, who, among other roles, is the God-like voiceover for Trump's brain). Several characters from Andrew Lloyd Webber's musicals, including Eva Peron (Zonya Love, who provides some much needed heart in the role of Karen, a beleaguered Trump supporter) provide ear worms, and Trump imagines himself as a nimble and fetching teenager (Luke Kolbe Mannikus, who in addition to other parts, doubles as a Sexy Cheeseburger–don't ask).

Under Catie Davis's snappy direction and performing Sunny Min-Sook Hitt's energetic choreography, the hardworking cast is very appealing. As an ensemble, they work tirelessly to land the jokes and songs that range from the sophomoric to the borderline tasteless (and not in a good way). For instance, Joe Biden calls attention to his advanced age, cheerily singing, "To die. To die. I'm about to die./ Bye. Very soon I'll die."

Similarly, Hillary's big number, "I Told You So," similarly lacks bite. Raising a glass of wine, she gloats in song, "You have some nerve,/ You people blow,/ I told you so." (Vadim Feichtner's music direction and the sound design by Daniela Hart and Uptown Works unfortunately give the musical numbers a canned quality.) Banal insults and potty humor may be appropriate for a Trump rally, but Off Broadway deserves better.

While the show's writing only occasionally shows glimmers of wit and cleverness, the design team has given the proceedings a fair share of smart and silly resourcefulness. In particular, Mieka van der Ploeg's costumes and Ashley Rae Callahan's wigs playfully capture the stylistic and sartorial quirks of the real-life figures. The show presents almost three dozen different characters, so the joy comes from the quick changes and fleeting appearances of familiar figures.

Regrettably, Ghost of John McCain is a lot like the 45th president: There is lots of flash but very little substance.