Stephen Belber’s disturbing political play, last seen uptown three years ago, resumes its life on the stage in these more than disturbing political days with a crisp, stripped down, new production that retains its edge and underlines its power to get under your skin, if you have any political morality or conscience left. Darius McReele, on death row for sixteen years, has finally found a journalist champion, Rick Dayne, who believes in his innocence. Beyond that, Rick is struck by McReele’s composure, his original thinking, his desire to help others, his ability to express himself. Seventeen at the time, McReele had been convicted of killing another seventeen year old in a late night street confrontation. About drugs? About a robbery? All McReele says is that he is black, poor, in the wrong place at the wrong time. And innocent. But—the dead boy was white. The system is stacked against him. Now, sixteen years later, his mind sharpened by jail house education, books and otherwise, his attitude has changed from outrage and fear to philosophical calculation. McReele fascinates the reporter. Rick resolves to challenge this terrible miscarriage of justice and is gratified that his belief in McReele is rewarded when McReele’s long ago buddy, in jail for another crime, confesses to this shooting. McReele is freed.
Nothing seems to faze him. No job? Something will turn up. His old girl friend cold, withdrawn? He’ll win her back. Any hope for a future? He will help others; he has learned many lessons from his experiences which he can articulate impressively. Rick gets him an appointment with a politician, a party chairman who sizes up this young, charismatic media phenomenon (thanks to Rick) and offers him the chance of a lifetime: to run as the standard bearer of the party for the United States Senate against an old, white conservative in office for decades. McReele is his exact opposite. He considers coolly, agrees to run if Rick manages his campaign. Rick, who believes McReele’s preachings, accepts this huge opportunity. And we have been drawn deeper into the plot.
Because there are problems. Opal, his girl friend, still resists him, in spite of saying she loves him. And the father of the dead boy swears he’s guilty. Worse, the story of the shooting changes and Rick’s old questions and misgivings come to the fore. McReele, imperturbable, now admits he was present at the murder but did not commit the act. Worst of all, Opal, unbeknownst to him, had been looking for him and had witnessed the actual shooting, confessing all to Rick, who has hung his career on his belief in McReele. Desperate, he gambles their political fortunes on a head to head confrontation with the incumbent, who, utterly sure of himself, springs the trap of Opal’s deadly secret.
And having painted himself into a corner, playwright Belber needs all his wits and all his skill to find safe passage. He is ably abetted by director Leah Bonvissuto, who has assembled a strong, assured cast and kept them at their distinctive best. They are now crucial; they have to spin Belber’s story and almost succeed in finessing his sleight of hand finish. But there’s just so much you can do if the words are not there in a play that demands those words. Central to his play and his problem is the portrait of McReele who must be absolutely convincing – almost. Sergei Burbank tags the character to the hilt but has the handicap of the missing scene. He is splendid. As is Gerald McCullough in the role of the all but true believer, Rick. Judilin Bosita, as Rick’s steady girl friend TV anchor, struggles with an underwritten, vital role. Iriemimen Oniha is first rate as Opal. Veteran Roy Clary supplies many strengths and graces in three roles. Somewhere, in limbo, is that convincing missing scene which will allow us to conspire in the play’s resolution. Or not. The actors and the director have done all they could to gloss over the fact that it isn’t there. Gut instinct says it’s needed. Gut instinct is frequently right.
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Richmond Shepard Theater, 309 East 26th Street. Tue-Sat 8 pm, Sun 2 pm. Tickets: $15 at theatermania.com or 212-352-3101
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