[NEohioPAL]CSC/; Tri-C East's Production of Ron Harwood's "Taking Sides"

Tue Sep 19 12:26:34 PDT 2006

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I'll like to offer a few words in praise of the Cleveland Stage  Company's 
compelling production of Ron Harwood's "Taking Sides," a  drama set in postwar 
Berlin that deals with the Allies  de-Nazification Tribunal's investigation of 
Wilhelm Furtwangler, the renowned  conduction of the Berlin Philharmonic.

Furtwangler, though he despised Hitler, was not a party member,  and helped 
Jews to escape from Germany, did not go into exile as other  artists did, but 
stayed at his post until the very end, conducting the  Philharmonic in a final 
performance of  "The Twilight of the Gods"  even as the Red Army tightened its 
grip on the doomed city.

 Under Brian Zoldessy's direction,  the cast comes through marvelously, and 
though it may be unfair  to single out anyone, I can't help but note that Jim 
Kisicki's  gravitas and superb stage presence as the highly imperfect  
Furtwangler contributed immeasurably to the play's impact.  

Though the script itself  has some problems, particularly the fanaticism of 
the American prosecutor (a  fine performance by Rick Montgomery, Jr. in a 
difficult role),  its merits far outweigh its incidental flaws.  It's the kind of 
play,  dealing with real issues, that deserves a production but gets one all 
too  infrequently in the American theatre.

Besides its emotional force, or perhaps because of it, Harwood's  play makes 
the spectator think--think, as it happens, troublesome and  even dangerous 
thoughts.  If we are to blame Furtwangler for not  speaking out against Hitler, 
what are we to say of the German bishops', Catholic  and Protestant alike, 
failure to do so--men with immensely more power than  a mere artist?   And what 
are we to say about our American churchmen  and churchwomen of today, who remain 
silent in the face of an immoral  and misconceived war?

Such is the power of art--the reason why Plato was wise to  banish poets from 
his well ordered Republic.  (In the Studio  Theatre of Cuyahoga Community 
College East from Friday September 15 to Sunday  October 1; 216-987-2201 )   

Michael Gallagher

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<DIV>I'll like to offer a few words in praise of the Cleveland Stage=20
Company's compelling production of Ron Harwood's "Taking Sides," a=
=20
drama set in postwar Berlin that deals with the Allies=20
de-Nazification Tribunal's investigation of Wilhelm Furtwangler, the renowne=
d=20
conduction of the Berlin Philharmonic.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Furtwangler, though he despised Hitler, was not a party membe=
r,=20
and helped Jews to escape from Germany, did not go into exile as o=
ther=20
artists did, but stayed at his post until the very end, conducting the=20
Philharmonic in a final performance of  "The Twilight of the Gods"=
=20
even as the Red Army tightened its grip on the doomed city.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<META content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.2900.2963" name=3DGENERATOR><FONT id=3Drolx_doc=
ument=20
face=3DArial color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Under Brian Zoldessy's direction,=
=20
the cast comes through marvelously, and though it may be unfa=
ir=20
to single out anyone, I can't help but note that Jim Kisicki's=20
gravitas and superb stage presence as the highly imperfect=20
Furtwangler contributed immeasurably to the play's impact. =20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Though the script&nbsp=
;itself=20
has some problems, particularly the fanaticism of the American prosecutor (a=
=20
fine performance by Rick Montgomery, Jr. in a difficult role),=20
its merits far outweigh its incidental flaws.  It's the kind of pl=
ay,=20
dealing with real issues, that deserves a production but gets one all too=20
infrequently in the American theatre.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Besides its emotional force, or perhaps because of it, Harwood's=20
play makes the spectator think--think, as it happens, troublesome=20=
and=20
even dangerous thoughts.  If we are to blame Furtwangler for not=20
speaking out against Hitler, what are we to say of the German bishops', Cath=
olic=20
and Protestant alike, failure to do so--men with immensely more power t=
han=20
a mere artist?   And what are we to say about our American churchm=
en=20
and churchwomen of today, who remain silent in the face of an immo=
ral=20
and misconceived war?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Such is the power of art--the reason why Plato was wise to=20
banish poets from his well ordered Republic.  (In the St=
udio=20
Theatre of Cuyahoga Community College East from Friday September 15 to Sunda=
y=20
October 1; 216-987-2201 )   </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Michael Gallagher</FONT></D=
IV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#000000=20
size=3D2> </DIV></FONT></FONT></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>

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