Hallie Flanagan is not a well-known name today, but in the
1930’s she was vastly influential as the director of the Federal Theatre
Project, a WPA initiative that sought to employ actors, writers, designers, and
other out-of-work theater professionals by assigning them to “theater
enterprises” throughout the United States, many in areas that had never seen a
live play before.
The project was a great success, but to New Deal-hating
politicians, subsidizing “culture” — including plays that seemed to have a
leftist political message — was an unpatriotic waste of money. Flanagan was
questioned by the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1938, and a
much-edited transcript of her session forms the script of “Dangerous
Theatre.”
The play demonstrates that Flanagan (played by Meredith
Carroll) was a formidable, intellectual woman and quite a cool customer while under
fire from a trio of somewhat clownish congressmen (Kevin Indovino,
Roger Gans, Larry Ploscowe).
The actors are capable — they read from transcripts — but
seemed as if they could have used another rehearsal; there were quite a few
verbal slips. Even in this rather dry format, the material was interesting
enough to suggest that there might be a full-length play in the story of the
Federal Theatre Project and Flanagan’s involvement.
Unfortunately, “Dangerous Theatre” won’t be performed
again during this year’s Fringe.
I never thought I would use the name Karl Marx and the word
“charming” in the same sentence, but the Karl Marx presented in Howard Zinn’s
monologue “Marx in Soho” is indeed a pretty
charming and witty guy. Who knew?
In this surprisingly disarming show, Marx, played by Jack Simel, has returned briefly to Earth — but while he wanted
to revisit his old home in London, a heavenly snafu sends him to contemporary
Manhattan. It happens that his trenchant observations on economics and society
are just as relevant in 21st century America as they were in 19th century
Europe. (Just don’t call him a Marxist!)
The political commentary — which includes Marx’s own moving
account of the Paris Communard of 1871 — is leavened with many accounts of
Marx’s love for his wife and family and his run-ins with fellow radicals. With
his full white beard, Simel definitely looks the
part, and he delivers the jokes and the political rhetoric with equal gusto. I
think Hallie Flanagan would have liked this educational, entertaining little
play as much as I did.
“Marx in Soho” will be performed
again on Saturday, September 24, at MuCCC. 6 p.m. $10.
Appropriate for ages 13 and older.
This article appears in Sep 14-20, 2016.
