Nixon's Nixon at The Gamm

 The premise of Russell Lee's Nixon's Nixon is based in fact.  On August 8th, 1974, the evening before his resignation, President Nixon summoned Secretary of State Henry Kissinger to the White House.  Lee takes that shell of a premise and fills it with his imagination.
 
The Gamm's intimate theater is well suited for this production, which relies on the audience feeling like a fly on the wall. Gamm Resident Director Judith Swift directs Jim O'Brien as Nixon and Christopher Francis Byrnes as Kissinger in this enjoyable two-man play, which takes place in Nixon's study.  
 
During his last hours at the White House, Nixon veers between tilting at windmills and acknowledging the inevitable. His place in history is a theme that is revisited throughout the evening.  Nixon and Kissinger revel in the memory of the days that they ruled the world and engage in a role-play of their greatest hits.  They play out Nixon's meetings with Mao and Breshnev and the debate with Kennedy, which Nixon insists he won, on radio. As the evening ends there is a realization that with enormous bodies counts all over the world the duo achieved only a pyrrhic victory over, well, anything.  It is notable that since Kissinger, there has never been a more powerful Secretary of State.  The Kissinger is to Nixon as Cheney is to Bush comparisons are hard to ignore.
 
Lee's Nixon fixates on how his resignation will disappoint his daughter Julie and seems unconcerned with the effect on his wife, Pat.  Swift keeps O'Brien far from the satirical Nixon.  Lee's script contains none of the well-worn Nixon phrase-ology and aside from the occasional jowl flap, O'Brien's portrayal only hints at the familiar Rich Little version of President Nixon.  O'Brien's Nixon is also likable, which I never expected.
 
Kissinger needs Nixon to resign.  His reasoning is at times honorable: "for the good of the country", and sometimes completely self-serving:  to protect his own standing on the world stage.  Brynes's portrayal of Kissinger is animated and witty.  The tête-à-tête with Nixon is sometimes too clever to be entirely believable, but no less entertaining.  
 
Charles Cofone's sound design and Katryne Hecht's set design are near perfect for the space and scale of the production.
 
Nixon's Nixon runs through November 18 at The Gamm Theatre, 172 Exchange St., Pawtucket, RI.  
 
Tickets range from $20 to $34.  Tickets can be purchased at www.arttixri.com or by calling 401- 723- 4266.
 
Visit www.gammtheatre.org for more information

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