[NEohioPAL]Berko review: RFK (Cleveland Play House)

[Roy Berko]

Interesting, but not compelling view of Robert Kennedy
at CPH

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

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“War.  It’s a terrible tragedy.”  “Violent revenge is
not American.”  “We don’t know why we are at war.” 
“The dollars are being wasted on the war.”  Sound like
assertions from 2006 political advertisements?  No,
these are statements made by Robert Fitzgerald
Kennedy, President John F. Kennedy’s youngest brother,
who is the subject of ‘RFK,’ now on stage at the
Cleveland Play House.

‘RFK,’ which enjoyed an extended run Off-Broadway, is
a one-man show which was written by and stars Jack
Holmes .  

The production notes for the play, which was
originally entitled, ‘THE AWFUL GRACE OF GOD:  A
PORTRAIT OF ROBERT F. KENNEDY,’ state, “By late summer
1964, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, still in
shock and consumed with grief over the assassination
of his older brother was at a crossroad in his life.
The presidential election was approaching and
President Lyndon Johnson finally called him to the
White House to end months of speculation over whether
or not he would be Johnson’s Vice Presidential running
mate. The result of that meeting, and the subsequent
direction of RFK’s life, are the focus of the play. 
Going backward and forward in time, we see Kennedy
grow from husband to father to grieving brother to New
York senator to outspoken critic of the war in Vietnam
to Democratic Presidential candidate."

The play tries to earnestly trace RFK’s successes, his
bi-polar like personality, and his conflicts with
Lyndon Johnson and Edgar Hoover.  Unfortunately, the
action is too obvious, often too patterned to grab and
hold our attention.  Part of the problem may be that,
from the start, anyone who knows history, knows the
outcome.  There is no mystery.  And, though there are
humorous moments, especially when the words seem like
2006 comments about President Bush and his
administration, the goings-on often sound like a long
campaign speech and commercial sound bites.

As Holmes transitions from Kennedy’s various offices,
to the senate floor, to stops on the campaign trail,
to his chaotic home, the audience is lead by David
Weiner’s effective lighting, James C. Swonger’s
impactful sound design and Neil Patel’s visually
clarifying back wall of patchwork of geometric shapes
which change from flags to mood enhancers.

Though his accent waivers, and he too systematically
and too often fixes his flopping hair, Holmes is
generally effective.  In fact, his acting is basically
better than his writing.  There is a lot of
sentimental language, platitudes and slogans which
attempt to represent reality.  It skims the surface
without always delving into causes for the speeches
and reactions.  

Yes, Robert F. Kennedy was shy, yet intense.  He,
according to the script,  “Saw wrong and tried to
right it…saw suffering and tried to heal it…saw
war…and tried to stop it.”  But, what really caused a
rich kid from a politically astute family who married
a strong dominant woman, to be who he was.  We really
don’t find that out.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:   For those who are fascinated by
the Kennedy legend, who like biographies, and are
willing to put aside the shallowness of the writing,
‘RFK’ should be of interest.  It’s not great theatre,
it’s good theatre.

‘JFK’ continues at CPH through November 19.  For
tickets call 216-795-7000 or go on line to
www.clevelandplayhouse.com.


Roy Berko's theatre blog, which includes reviews of all recent plays, can be found at http://royberkinfo.blogspot.com  
      Information regarding his consulting and publications and older theatre reviews can be found at www.royberko.info.  
      Roy's theatre and dance reviews appear regularly on NeOHIOpal, an on-line source.   To subscribe to this free service via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.fredsternfeld.com/mailman/listinfo/neohiopal.


 
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