Once upon a time, there lived a lawyer who cared. Imagine: A driven, self-serving man from a privileged background makes a name for himself as a partner at a prestigious law firm, then throws it all away to serve the unfortunate and marginalized out of a run-down basement office in the shoddy part of town. This man’s stroke-induced change of heart is the pretext for the curious Love and Anger, by George F. Walker, on stage now at Round House Theatre in Bethesda.
Jerry Whiddon stars as Peter Maxwell, the formerly cold-blooded lawyer who is now an activist with a heart of gold and goes by the cutesy nickname “Petie.” Whiddon handles this difficult role adeptly, showing the audience the humanity behind the cartoonish Petie. Although he unnecessarily turns his back to the audience on multiple occasions, Whiddon has mastered Petie’s enthusiastic gestures and slightly limping gait. He certainly does his damnedest to save Petie’s endless tirades from becoming tedious and repetitive, although the playwright has doomed such a massive task from the outset.
Another standout in this cast is Georgetown drama professor Sarah Marshall, who plays Sarah, the schizophrenic sister of Petie’s secretary. Though handed the flashiest role in this play, Marshall’s skill is evident not in the flamboyant, campy antics that, if overplayed, would cheapen the role. Instead, she deserves merit for her nuanced approach to Sarah. In conveying moments of stunning lucidity and pure human compassion, Marshall deftly saves her character from caricature.
Flashy performances are not the only ones deserving of praise in this production. Sarah’s sister and Petie’s secretary, Eleanor, is a much more cautious and reserved character, serving as the play’s voice of rationality. Nancy Robinette is delightful as the admonishing yet unpretentious Eleanor. Although her posture can be awkward and she sometimes anticipates other actors’ lines, Robinette delivers her own lines with an artfully calculated combination of helplessness and resolve. In response to the inane behavior of the other characters when Petie appears to experience a relapse, Robinette meaningfully implores, “Why am I immune?”
Slightly less engaging is the role of Babe Conner, the editor of a popular right-wing newspaper and the victim of Petie Maxwell’s public slander. Michael L. Forrest brings an appropriate roughness and bravado to the part, although he seems to have trouble finding a suitable voice, oscillating between an unnaturally deep, booming tone and a more comfortable, effective pitch. As the play degenerates in the second act into a mock trial in which Babe stands accused of “being evil,” Forrest lapses in and out of realistic action, often failing to intimate his purpose and intentions.
One missed opportunity in this cast of characters is the role of Gail Jones. A desperate woman who comes to Petie’s office because her husband has been wrongfully imprisoned, Gail initially provides an interesting and even comical contrast to Petie’s idealistic ranting with her bewilderment and simple pragmatism. Eventually, however, Gail finds herself swept up by Petie’s vision, even brandishing a revolver and threatening Babe’s life at the end of the play.
With such compelling dynamics and dramatic character development, Gail is probably the most artfully written part in this play. Unfortunately, she is also the least skillfully acted in this production. While Thembi Duncan succeeds in bringing a charming innocence and simplicity to the role, her movements and words are often mechanical, and her responses to the onstage action seem stagy and rehearsed.
The real star of Round House’s Love and Anger is Daniel Conway’s scenic design. A phenomenally constructed lair, the set includes a huge furnace, a conveyor belt and a functional metal staircase in the background behind the backdrop of barbed wire. It is in his attention to detail, however, that Conway really shines. Petie’s coffee table, for example, is a simple wooden plank propped up by an old box on one end and a plastic bucket on the other, reflecting Petie’s newfound scorn for worldly possessions. Rosemary Pardee’s costume design smartly complements the set—Petie’s gray-and-purple sneakers (paired with an old tweed suit) are a particularly inspired choice.
If only the design did all the talking. While Love and Anger is a character-driven work, not a play anchored by narrative or plot, the rotating spotlight on the different characters often transitions abruptly and unnaturally. As a result, the play often lacks cohesion, making the audience anxious for a rapid resolution. Despite their valiant efforts, this cast and crew simply cannot overcome the wearisome script’s self-righteous, moralizing tone.
Love and Anger is playing through Oct. 13 at the Round House Theatre, East-West Hwy. & Waverly St., Bethesda. Tickets are $10 for students, $30 and up for everyone else.
