Theater Online - New York Theater Reviews

Significant historic events are recorded, hopefully, truthfully in reliably bound books. What was in the minds and hearts of the individuals who shaped those occurrences is not always so clear, a reason why dramas about individuals we first encountered in 5th grade American Studies could be extremely engaging.

"The Tragedy of Abraham Lincoln," written by M. Stefan Stozier and being performed by La Muse Venale Acting Troupe at Where Eagles Dare Studio, proposes - as press material

indicates - "to cover the last year of President Lincoln's life and all of the dramatic events surrounding one central unmistakable theme." As promised one can envision many of the characters and events leading up to and immediately following the fateful evening of April 14, 1861 when our 16th president was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C. The "unmistakable" theme remains elusive for me. Nevertheless, both elements of artistic merit, as well as interludes of dramatic imperfection, can be gleaned in this unpredictable telling of the story.

Despite what seems, at sometimes, to be inconsistent dialogue and unclear direction, the theater's intimate space provides the audience with a close-up view of the dedicated and focused twenty-member cast. Particularly outstanding performances are delivered by Justin Ellis as Lincoln and Josh Stamell as Booth, each having an uncanny resemblance to portraits of the men they portray.

       Appropriately, the play opens with rousing patriotic music and President Abraham Lincoln delivering his Gettysburg Address. For me, surprisingly, the speech Emerson praised by stating that it "will not easily be surpassed by words on any recorded occasion" did not deliver its expected impact. This is followed by a fine performance of Booth playing Antony in a scene from "The Tragedy of Julius Caesar" in which he vows to avenge the heartless assassination of Caesar by conspirators. Some things are amiss.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, this ironic bent does not remain consistent as several interesting particulars of that tumultuous year in American history are revealed, including: a plot to kidnap the President, Lincoln's suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus, General Lee's stately surrender to General Grant at Appomattox, Booth's last tryst with his betrothed (Lucy Hale, daughter of a Republican abolitionist U.S. Senator), and John Wilkes "breaking a leg" at his very last stage appearance.

However, at the conclusion of "The Tragedy of Abraham Lincoln," two larger-than-life characters (one of our greatest presidents and the Southern gentleman/actor who changed the course of our nation's history) are seen very often as men with feet of clay. Both are concerned with bad dreams, are plagued by self-doubt, and display erratic behavior. Indeed, what is presented is an interesting interpretation of history, but -- as Sophocles and Shakespeare demonstrate -- such is not the stuff tragedy is made on.

Apr 17 2006