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| Photos by Kate Paterno-Lick |
“12 Angry Men,” now playing at Lakewood Playhouse,
is as dramatic, engrossing and relevant today as it was 60 years ago when it
premiered on CBS Television’s “Studio One.”
The
writing by Reginald Rose, the direction by Victoria Webb, and the ensemble
acting by a dozen-plus-one actors are all stupendous. Set in the 1950s, the
clothing (costumes by Alex Lewington), the language and the dramatic dialogue
all reflect the time period without being in the least bit dated.
The
entire play takes place in a jury room when the 12 jurors gather to determine
the innocence or guilt of a 17-year-old boy accused of capital murder. They
take an initial vote, and all but Juror #8 (Bruce Story-Camp) vote guilty. The
one holdout is not convinced the boy is innocent; he has reasonable doubt. For
the next two hours the jurors argue the case, and one-by-one they change their
votes. Some change their minds because of logical exploration of facts they may
have not seen so clearly at first, and some because they are emotionally
swayed. Others stubbornly hold on to their insistence that the boy is guilty,
and their own fears and prejudices become clear.
The
writing is as intelligent and believable as anything you might see on stage
this or any other year (even if the outcome is predictable from the beginning) and
the performances are so outstanding that none of them seem to be acting but
actually have become the men they are portraying.
Most
outstanding is Christian Carvajal in an award-worthy performance as the
spiteful and bigoted Juror #3. This is the best performance I’ve yet to see
from Carvajal, and he has turned in some magnificent performances in such shows
as “Oleanna” and “Frost-Nixon.” I just hope he doesn’t give himself a heart
attack before the show ends.
Also
turning in the best performance I’ve yet to see from him is Story-Camp, who
believably depicts a man struggling to remain calm and reasonable in the face
of unimaginable frustrations, who is unsure of himself but determined to be
fair no matter what. In the film version Henry Fonda played this character as a
heroic everyman; in this play Story-Camp plays him not as a hero but as a man
as real as a stubbed toe.
Ronnie
Hill is volatile and mesmerizing as Juror #10, who starts out likeable and
expressive and turns into a madman, and Michael Dresdner is captivating as the
foreigner who looks at the facts from a fresh and disarming point of view. Rob
Reed plays Juror #7 as a loveable lowlife who just wants to get it over with so
he can go to a baseball game.
The
writer must have been a close observer of people to come up with such a
mixed-bag of characters who are each tangible people who at the same time,
epitomize well-known character types; and this ensemble cast does a wonderful
job of bringing them alive with passionate rawness.
Also
outstanding is Webb’s blocking, which makes the usual problems with an
in-the-round set seem inconsequential.
I
can’t recommend “12 Angry Men” highly enough.
alec@alecclayton.com
SIDEBAR:
12 Angry Men
WHEN:
8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, through March 16
WHERE:
Lakewood Playhouse, 5729 Lakewood Towne Center Blvd., Lakewood
TICKETS:
$19-$25
INFORMATION:
253-588-0042, www.lakewoodplayhouse.org
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