(l-r) Greg Stuhr, Peter Jacobson, Stephen Cefalu Jr., Aaron Bliden, Edward L. Simon, Jason Babinsky, John Leslie Wolfe, and Philip Earl Johnson in Are You Now or Have You Ever Been? Photo by Teresa Castracane.
A review of Are You Now or Have You Ever Been? at Arena Stage
by Gregory Luce
Governmental attacks on intellectuals and artists. A political party slinging the label communist at its opponents. Abuses of political power that threaten a turn to authoritarianism. No, I’m not referring to today’s headlines. These are the themes of Are You Now or Have You Ever Been?, a play by Eric Bentley, directed by Anna D. Shapiro, now running through December 6 at Arena Stage. This production could hardly be more timely.
Are You Now recreates an episode from the Red Scare of the 1950s when the House Unamerican Activities Committee launched investigations of the entertainment industry, in particular Hollywood, though New York theater did not escape unscathed. Dozens if not hundreds of directors, screenwriters, actors, and even craft unionists were targeted, and many lost their careers. The play’s dialogue, consists almost entirely of passages from transcripts of the hearings, with the addition of a few short speeches providing context or narrating events in between those depicted.
The artistry of this production becomes immediately apparent as one enters the theater. The visual design team of Andrew Boyce (Set Designer) and Donald Holder (Lighting Designer) has created a simple set comprising a table and chairs on each side of the stage, one for witnesses and the other for the Committee members represented. The lighting replicates that of a typical committee room in the Capitol or legislative office buildings. But what really grabs the attention is the backdrop, a curved wall onto which are projected headlines and newspaper clippings from contemporaneous newspapers, along with video clips from newsreels or television broadcasts. The effect, accompanied by the period-appropriate music provided by Sound Designers Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen, is to draw the viewer into the time, place, and even the atmosphere of the time before the first actors have set foot on the stage.
Casting Director Raiyon Hunter has peopled the play in a particularly fascinating manner. Ten actors portray twenty characters. Man 1, Man 2, and Man 3, played respectively by Edward L. Simon, Greg Stuhr, Stephen Cefalu Jr., represent various Hollywood players such as Sterling Hayden, Elia Kazan, Arthur Miller, Edward Dmytryk, Ring Lardner. Jr., and Jerome Robbins). Each of these individuals cooperated with the Committee to various degrees, some reluctantly, some enthusiastically. Each of these actors moves fluidly between his characters and conveys the level of reluctance, avoidance, or willingness appropriate to the individual portrayed.
Aaron Bliden, Jason Babinsky, John Leslie Wolfe, and Philip Earl Johnson in Are You Now or Have You Ever Been? Photo by Teresa Castracane.
Possibly the most intriguing character, Larry Parks, a now almost forgotten actor, wonderfully played by Aaron Blinden, is the first witness to be called. Blinden gives a master class in shifting emotions and stances, ranging from defiance, to begging to be let off, to a weaselly attempt to split the difference by offering a few names. It’s alternately funny and heartbreaking. We are informed after his time on stage that Parks was blacklisted anyway despite having cooperated, and eventually gave more names, expressing regret for his failure to cooperate fully. (His career never resumed, and his name has slipped into deserved obscurity.)
Two other artists acquit themselves more admirably. Peter Jacobson as Abe Burrows is absolutely hilarious, keeping the Committee members off balance with his interruptions, jokes, and general avoidance of answers. Likewise, Lionel Stander (who was blacklisted multiple times and faced criminal charges throughout the period), very well portrayed by Jeff Still, uses a mixture of humor and defiance to keep his inquisitors at bay.
Rivka Borek in Are You Now or Have You Ever Been? Photo by Teresa Castracane.
As the play nears its end, two performers represent individuals who comported themselves heroically in the face of repression. Rivka Borek as Lillian Hellman strides onstage and powerfully delivers an impassioned monologue based on the letter she wrote to the Committee refusing to testify. Hellman’s now famous declaration, “I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year’s fashions,” rings with a clarity and directness that still resonates in today’s fraught political climate. Though her time on the stage is brief, Borek leaves a lasting impression.
Kevin Mambo in Are You Now or Have You Ever Been? Photo by Teresa Castracane.
And finally, one cannot say enough about Kevin Mambo’s compelling performance as Paul Robeson. Though he lacks Robeson’s deep resonant voice, in all other ways Mambo dominates the scene with his strong presence, exuding nothing but anger and contempt for the Committee while repeatedly invoking the 5th Amendment. One longs to see him in a Shakespearean role like Othello or King Lear, or as the lead in a play by August Wilson.
The three Committee members also give excellent performances in unenviable roles. John Leslie Wolfe as the Committee Chairman (seemingly a composite of several historical figures) gives an unexpectedly nuanced performance that conveys some sincerity and genuine concern for the well being of the republic even as he is pushing his anti-communist agenda. Jason Babinsky in the role of Committeeman 2 (who has the most lines of the three Committee members) is positively reptilian in his manner and excellently depicts man driven by ideology, maybe even hate or fear, indifferent to human feeling and assured of his convictions. Philip Earl Johnson says very little in his role as Committeeman 1, but radiates menace in support of his colleagues.
Holding all these pieces together, Director Anna D. Shapiro has crafted a powerful evening of theater. The play moves along briskly, despite the number of characters and amount of information it delivers. The actors perform with an intensity pertinent to the time and situation. Underplaying would greatly diminish the power of the presentation. Shapiro has drawn from her actors just the right tone and volume. And Costume Designer Johanna Pan has clothed the characters in clothes so period appropriate that they look as if they stepped out of a newsreel.
The play runs for approximately one hour and 45 minutes with no intermission.
Are You Now or Have You Ever Been? is all too timely. It is in equal parts thought provoking, an urgent warning, and highly entertaining. Order tickets online or call the Sales Office at 202-488-3300.
Gregory Luce is the co-founder and poetry editor of Washington Unbound. He has published six chapbooks. He lives in Arlington and writes a monthly column for the online arts journal Scene4.