With a swift kick to the groin, Chicago’s legendary Second City troupe brings its timely wit to the all-too-easy-to-lampoon nation’s capital, and with it all the pessimism and bitterness of our post-midterm country. Leave it to the ensemble’s female-dominated cast (four women to one man) to turn it all into comedic lemonade in A Girl’s Guide to Washington Politics, making fodder out of everything from race relations to Tea Party obliviousness to Democratic spinelessness. The musically bent show is dotted with mini-operas about unfaithful senators (in which male cast member Joey Bland prances around as an adulterous senator-cum-ballerina); female Supreme Court justices (with a Gloria Estefan-aping Elena Kagan played by Brooke Breit); and an embattled Nancy Pelosi (Lori McClain) doing stand-up (her repeated “But I’m not bitter, folks!” followed by an ever-tacky ta-dum-crash!) At a time when people everywhere are frustrated with official Washington, it’s good to know that nowadays, being cynical—shot through with an extra dose of well-executed dark comedy—is still plain funny.

A GIRL’S GUIDE TO WASHINGTON POLITICS IS ON STAGE AT 8 P.M. TUESDAYS TO THURSDAYS, 7 P.M. AND 10 P.M. FRIDAYS, 3 P.M. AND 8 P.M. SATURDAYS, AND 3 P.M. AND 7 P.M. SUNDAYS (NO SHOWS DEC. 24 AND 25.) TO JAN. 9 AT WOOLLY MAMMOTH, 641 D ST. NW. $30 AND UP. (202) 393-3939.