QUICK WITS TO THE RESCUE
by Marinell Haegelin
To kick off its forty-seventh season , Germany ’ s oldest private professional English-language theater chose Ben
Butler , American playwright Richard Strand ’ s audacious Civil War dramedy . A pivotal incident , magnifying slavery ’ s dastardliness and odious effect , is mitigated through Strand ’ s dialogue ’ s wry commentary and razor-sharp humor . Grounded in history , Strand ’ s play is written with modern imagination and a witty perspective that induces out-loud laughter and hooting from Hamburg audiences .
Benjamin Butler ( Jonny Magnanti ), Fort Monroe Virginia ’ s newly arrived commanding officer , is still adapting to being an honest-to-goodness major general in the Union army . Of which the Massachusetts attorney reminds his adjutant , Lieutenant Kelley ( Cameron Barclay ), a West Point Military Academy graduate . Now this darn cable informs the general of Virginia ’ s succession to join the Confederacy — what next ! As if on cue , Kelley knocks and enters to report three runaway slaves who want asylum , and one is demanding a meeting with him . Butler is annoyed , first by Kelley using the word “ demand ,” then by Kelley ’ s obvious distaste for the slave ; he reminds the lieutenant that , under law , slaves must be returned to their owners . Paying little heed to Kelley ’ s warnings , the general realizes the contentious , articulate Shepard Mallory ( Hayden Mampasi ) spares naught when verbally fencing with Shepard —“ You can make the law mean the opposite of what it ’ s supposed to mean . That ’ s what lawyers do , isn ’ t it ?”— thus initiating the general and the slave ’ s first noisy discourse . The general ’ s next hurdle , upon learning of Confederate Army Major John Cary ’ s ( Will Middleton ) impending arrival to fetch the slaves , is what to do with them . After Mallory rejects the general ’ s hastily constructed plan , their heated discussion brings Kelley protectively sprinting into the office . The fullness of the predicament rankles the general ’ s moral code and mindset , which Mallory exploits . Before being led away , Mallory beseeches the general for asylum and protectorship , and issues cautionary advice . The general , a brilliantly logical attorney and state legislator , turns to a seldom-used justifier , contraband , relying on Virginia ’ s recent actions , the southern honor code , and the law for substantiation .
English Theatre co-founder Clifford Dean ’ s directorial prowess is apparent in this intelligent play ’ s deliberate timing and pacing that slowly build to its revelatory end , exposing prejudices that crumble human decency . The outstanding London thespians first studied American history to understand the Civil War ’ s impact / time period . Preparation and rehearsals were intense ; after memorizing his many lines , Magnanti worked out the character ’ s mannerisms ; accents were finessed ; Mampasi focused on balancing his character ’ s dissimilar personality traits . Heiko Böttner ’ s lighting and Paul Glaser ’ s sound design / music deftly manipulate Mathias Wardeck ’ s general ’ s office set where the action occurs .
Little did the adroit Butler and doggedly determined Mallory realize what impact their actions would have and , considering the charged mood in May 1861 , things could have gone much differently . So , besides being entertained by the comedic word play and war of words , audiences learn a kernel of American history that ’ s as true as it ’ s surprising .
BEN BUTLER runs until November 4 , 2023 . The tongue-in-cheek comedy , THE HOUND OF BASKERVILLES by Steven Canny and John Nicholson , premieres November 20 and runs through January 20 , 2024 . Evening and matinee performances ; tickets available at the theater or online .
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