Disgraced" (Review by Simon Saltzman)
L-R:Gretchen Mol,Hari Dhillon, Karen Pittman and Josh Radnor (Photo: Joan Marcus)
It was inevitable that my reaction to this play that premiered
two years ago at Lincoln Center's Claire Tow Theater and subsequently won the
Pulitzer Prize for Drama would be colored and impacted by events in the real
world.
The play as directed again by Kimberly Senior, however, remains
thoughtful, often blistering and dramatically compelling. Although I reserve my
right to disagree with the Pulitzer Prize committee (what else is new?), I have no reason to change my positive opinion
of the play except for the way that its deluge of dramatic contrivances appear slightly
more strained and superficially embedded than I recall them.
Akhtar, a Pakistani-American has put an unsettling spin on a before, during and after dinner party
from hell in which well-educated, socially sophisticated, politically savvy
people lose their cool and their sense of perspective when it comes to matters
concerning religious beliefs, social standing, and cultural identity. A little
quibble: Why would a savvy hostess prepare
pork tenderloin for dinner knowing that her guest was a Jew and potential
promoter for her art. Forget the fact that African-American Muslims are also not
inclined to eat pork. Add a little sexual impropriety and you've got "Disgraced." Except where the actors are concerned my
review is essentially the same as I'd previously written for CurtainUp two years ago.
Amir (Hari Dhillon) a successful
Pakistani-American lawyer and his adoring white American wife Emily (Gretchen
Mol), who is also achieving recognition as a fine artist, appear to be deeply
in love and in complete harmony as a couple when we first see them on Saturday
morning in their Upper East Side New York apartment. She is sketching a
portrait of him, inspired by a portrait of a slave by Valesquez. As he stands
nattily dressed from the waist up (below he has on only his boxer shorts), iIt
is clear by their chatter and show of affection that their racial divide has
not been a divide. It has, in fact, proven a catalyst and an inspiration to
Emily whose recent paintings have been notable and noticed for their embrace of
ancient Islamic tradition and design.
Things are destined to get out of hand, however, when they are visited by Amirs
Pakistani-born nephew Abe (Danny Ashok) and later that evening when two
business colleagues— Isaac (Josh Radnor), a Jewish art curator from the Whitney
and his African-American wife Jory (Karen Pittman), a lawyer who works with
Amir for the same firm — come for dinner.
There is always room for another provocative play in which people are seen
moving characteristically from the rational to the irrational when faced with
the need to either defend or refute ingrained social, religious and cultural
beliefs. There is certainly room for this taut, short play in which no punches
are pulled (quite literally). It takes the challenge one step farther and in a
way that makes us see how a group of relatively high-minded, purportedly
open-minded people can't see or avoid the pitfalls that inevitably come with
being right and/or righteous.
"Disgraced" is
commendable for the way it doesn't shy away from dealing with topics and issues
that we are all taught to avoid in polite company. Though not quite on the same
level as the hyperbolic histrionics that fuel "Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolf?", it is nevertheless filled
with adrenaline pumping theatrics that go quickly to the heart of what's at
stake. At stake for Amir is how to maintain his guarded image despite his
Pakistani roots. Fundamental to his view of "intelligence," is his
rejection of the Muslim faith, certainly the best way to survive in the current
political, professional and social climate, specifically to secure his future
with the law firm whose two senior partners are Jewish.
Although he is adamant about not complying with his nephews plea to help an
imprisoned Imam, Amir relents to Emily's urging and goes to the prison where
his presence is noted by the press and subsequently viewed unfavorably by the
law firm. The strain of Amir's impulsive decision to please Emily inevitably
grows into rage when he begins to sense that his future has been compromised by
his wife's liberal mindedness.
Emotions begin to spiral out of control at the dinner party, presumably an
opportunity for Isaac to confirm that he will mount an exhibition of Emily's
paintings. On a darker note, Jory, who was originally mentored by Amir but is
now a rival, is delegated to unleash some jarring news both of a professional
and personal nature. Under Kimberly Senior's excellent direction, all hell
inevitably breaks lose as Isaac feels compelled to stand up to the raging and
ranting Amir with his own intellectually incendiary rebuttals.
What makes "Disgraced"
so compelling and also ironic is in the way in which we see how good
intentions turn sour and good deeds are punished. All five of the provocateurs
are worthy of being seen as identity-challenged. Dhillon, who played the role
of the fast-talking, upwardly mobile Amir in London, is convincing as a man fevered
by opportunism that is as much a motivation as is his fervent secularism. Mol,
who can currently be seen as Gillian in HBO's "Boardwalk Empire," gives
a fine performance as Emily, the well-meaning, blindly liberal wife.
Radnor brings a considerable amount of disciplined tension to
the party as Isaac who ultimately has to work as hard to define himself as do
the others. Pittman is impressive as the African-American woman who is now
unapologetically climbing up the corporate latter. Maskati is effectively intense
as Abe, whose allegiances are as vehemently expressed as his real name Hussein
is conveniently suppressed.
In a strange way, the up-scale living room setting by the usually
brilliant set designer John Lee Beatty takes the notion of beige and mainly bare
walls to a new level of blah, especially as it the home of an artist. The
setting for the Off Broadway production was designed by Lauren Helpern) and was more on the money.
Certainly the fear
factor has been exploited to its full potential in these past two years by
those who see it as an effective weapon to promote racism, bigotry and intolerance
and as a useful political tool to divide and conquer even the more rational
among us.
Of course that makes "Disgraced" either more timely and topical than
ever, or more incendiary and provocative in light of the more pronounced political
posturing that we see and hear on the news and in print. There is a clear and
distinct message within "Disgraced" about how easy it is to be unwittingly patronizing with regard to
patriotism, nationalism and multi-culturalism.
"Disgraced" (Open ended run)
Lyceum Theatre, 149 West 45th Street
