A lurid chronicle of John Mendels(s)ohn’s five-week stint editing Chic magazine, one-man show “Wm. Floggin’ Buckley” involves sex, drugs, some Elvis-inspired rock ‘n’ roll and enough crazed management to drive anyone nuts. Mendels(s)ohn begins his show with a manic stream-of-consciousness meditation on career-advice prompts (Do I work well with others? Where do I see myself in five years?), sounding a lot like a panicked recent graduate with a liberal arts degree – or a previously established writer experiencing the downfall of his career. Through a series of events and a series of introductions to specific characters, Mendels(s)ohn winds up with an editing position at Chic, working on an editorial about global warming and spinning a decaying story into a sensational prediction of the next ice age or imminent hellish sauna.

Mendels(s)ohn’s calm, under-rehearsed narrative contrasts sharply with his colorful caricatures of a hamster-like co-worker, British coke-head editor-in-chief, drooling publishing magnate, and wheedling hanger-on trolling for sex (among several others). The caricatures start slow – a redneck joke writer here, an overly exposed model there – and builds to include an office-full of vivid characters interacting and arguing with each other. An unexpected hostage situation involving the whole office marks the climax of both the story and the storytelling. The narrative falls away and Mendels(s)ohn lets the characters take over, resulting in an impressively energetic scene.

The weak point of Mendels(s)ohn’s performance is his hyperbolic narrative. While he never blanked on any lines, the stumbling and lack of surety in his voice coupled with an unhelpful microphone setup on the Restaurant Magnus stage left his colorfully manic snark sounding rehearsed and flat instead of spontaneous and witty. Hopefully this will improve in the next two performances.

I had previously found Mendels(s)ohn’s recent writing to be obnoxiously baroque in its hyperbole and unflattering simile. Watching him perform one of his compositions reinforced my opinion but his narrative is so disrespectfully over-the-top and genuinely entertaining, it’s hard to hang on to any irritation. “Wm. Floggin’ Buckley” brings the acerbic wit to life and Mendels(s)ohn’s storytelling elevates it to the point of entertainment.

John Mendels(s)ohn will be performing “Wm. Floggin’ Buckley” at 10 p.m. tonight, April 29 and again in two weeks on May 6 at Restaurant Magnus (120 E. Wilson Street). Chris Berge will present, with musical accompaniment by Justin Bricco of the Blueheels. “General Public, $10. Students, $12.” Call 258-8787 for reservations.