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Potomac Stages
"Home of the Brave"
The American Century Theater

Director Benjamin Fishman uses modern theatrical technology to enhance an already powerful theatrical property as his Washington Jewish Theatre and the American Century Theater join forces for their first co-production. "Multi-media" techniques such as filmed images projected on the back wall, full stero sound environments, pre-recorded dialogue and high-impact lighting effects can enhance a strong play or camoflauge the problems in a weak one. Of course, when improperly used, they can harm a good play. Here they strengthen the theatricality of a piece that could have been a bit static and preachy in less capable hands.

Storyline: A Jewish soldier is part of a five man squad sent behind the Japanese lines during World War II where the traumatic events of battle trigger a psychosomatic paralysis. The play is presented as a flashback during treatment in a battlefield hospital.

This World War II combat play was the first major dramatic work by Arthur Laurents who went on to give us West Side Story, Gypsy, and the movies The Way We Were and The Turning Point. It was and is remarkable for the sophistication of its view of the psychological damage that combat can do, and for the complexity of the relationships between the six characters (five soldiers and a doctor). Unlike so many "male bonding" movies of recent vintage, the five soldiers do not form a relationship so strong that it overcomes their individual compatibilities. Most notably, the anti-Semite remains anti-Semitic. Laurents has his characters grow and learn and mature -- but they don't overcome all of their imperfections and they don't reform completely.

The cast of young actors is a particularly strong group. Michael Laurino as the soldier who loses the use of his legs as a result of psychic injuries, and Tim Getman as a soldier with different wounds are particularly noteworth. Getman has a marvelous scene in Act II with Richard J. Price as the officer in charge of the mission behind the lines. Jon Cohn does impressive work in the dual role of the doctor treating Laurino's character and his best friend in the unit. Each have given impressive performances on Potomac Region stages in recent months. A newcomer to the area, Arthur Rowan, more than holds his own as he makes more of his role than just a symbol of bigotry.

The multi-media aspects of the production are effective if uneven. Daniel Schrader's sound design is wonderful from the bird sounds that are almost inaudible but set the feel of the place before the show begins, through the sounds of combat that surround the audience in the second act. He takes full advantage of a quality sound system to produce for the audience some of the feeling of being encircled that is affecting the soldiers on stage. Marc A. Wright's set is workable and his lighting design is particularly impressive. But the video elements of the "multi-media" are too dimly projected to be fully effective.

Written by Arthur Laurents. Directed by Benjamin Fishman. Design: Marc A. Wright (set and lights) Daniel Schrader (sound) Michele Reisch (costumes) Brainbox Productions, Inc. (video) Cast: Michael Laurino, Jon Cohn, Richard J. Price, Arthur Rowan, Tim Getman.

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