North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach is currently mounting the world premiere production of “Sense of Decency” by playwright Jake Broder in collaboration with author Jack El-Hai who wrote the non -fiction book “The Nazi and The Psychiatrist”. This spy thriller will keep you on your toes from the time you meet Hermann Göring in his prison cell to its explosive and thought provoking ending just after he was condemned to die by the the Tribunal. It will be playing through May 19th.
 |
| Lucy Davenport and Brendan Ford |
Toward the end of World War II, (1946-1958) as the Nuremberg Trials were about to begin, Dr. Douglas M. Kelly (Brendan Ford) was sent to Nuremberg to interview Hermann Göring (Frank Corrado) to see if he was mentally capable of standing trial.
What he found was a man bigger than the two of them together. Both actors in their own play, Göring the Nazi, a larger than life character, trifles with Kelly the psychiatrist, who practices his machinations, card tricks along with his Rorschach Technique on Göring. It’s a cat and mouse game that doesn’t end well for either man.
Connecting the dots from Nuremberg to the U.S., Kelly calls his wife Dukie (Lucy Davenport / Emmy Göring,) every day to get an update on what he’s thinking and what methods he is using during their ‘interviews’. In the phone calls, there were certain hints that Kelly was developing a deep fondness for his adversary.
 |
| Brendan Ford and Frank Corrado |
Göring, who could be charming, was also like a hawk, swooping down on Kelly when the conversation came up about the ‘Master Race’, the Jewish Problem’ and how ‘once a lie is told over and over again, people begin the believe it as fact. Kelly had no place to hide when Göring tells him that the Germans took everything they learned about race, immigration, oppression and slavery from OUR playbook before, during and after the Civil War. In fact, he goes on, 'we even fought a war to keep and deny blacks from voting'. Ugg. Still going on today.
Kelly wanted to turn his interviews into a book, but the scales never balanced in his favor. In a sense he lost his footing after his book was published and nothing he could do would change that among his peers. His spiral downwards was not pretty.
Brendan Ford’s Kelly shows remarkable growth as the mild mannered Dr. to someone needing help himself. His mood changes were off the charts toward the end. As for Frank Corrado’s Göring, you could always see the wheels spinning, planning his next moves against Kelly. His was a master performance. Ms. Davenport does well as both wives who had their own stories to tell.
 |
| Brendan Ford and Frank Corrado |
Directed by both artistic director of NCR David Ellenstein and playwright Jake Broder “Sense of Decency” is packed with too many side stories (not that they aren’t fascinating and true to the core) but there was not enough time in one hundred minutes to put in so much history. With some tightening and possibly culling “Sense of Decency” should soar.
Marty Burnett’s prison set looks accurate, Matt Novotny’s lighting is spot on, Elisa Benzoni designed the costumes, Peter Herman’s wigs are always perfect, projections are by Matt FitzGerald’s and Steven Leffue, sound.
 |
| Frank Corrado as Hermann Göring |
As a practicing Jewish person all my life, I have seen, witnessed and been on the terrifying side of anti-Semitism. As a youngster it was frightening. As an octogenarian I see it raise its ugly head again by corrupt leaders who should be in jail right now, not in the spotlight.
It makes no Sense. There is no Decency.
The great senator from Massachusetts Joseph Welch asked Joseph McCarthy, at the height of the Communist witch hunts, “Have you no decency, sir?”
Remember the words: 'NEVER AGAIN'. Let's practice.
See you at the theatre.
Where :North Coast Repertory Theatre
987 Lomas Santa Fe Suite D
Solana Beach, CA 92075
Through May 12th
Ticket Prices: Start at $$49.00
Box office: (858) 481-1055
Photo: Aaron Rumley
Email: boxoffice@northcoastrep.org
No comments:
Post a Comment