BWW Reviews: The Verdict is in - TWELVE ANGRY MEN Makes a Strong Case

It's 1957 on an excruciatingly hot day in New York and twelve men of different upbringings, professions, demeanors, beliefs, and ages are locked in a room to decide the fate of a young man who has been accused of stabbing and killing his father. The guys are sure they will be home in time to catch the Yankees game. It's an open and shut case. Everyone thinks so… until Juror Eight reveals that he's not positive that the young man is guilty.

 

This admission of reasonable doubt ignites the unreasonable amongst these strangers, and so begins the riveting production of Reginald Rose's Twelve Angry Men playing through February 5th at Merrick Theatre and Center for the Arts.

 

No one is a big fan of Juror Eight. Derek McLaughlin is completely unassuming at first, sort of distant, yet as the play goes on he transforms into a natural advocate for one's own moral compass. This group of men is so well directed by Tony Georgan and their chemistry is so dynamic one gets the impression the discussion and action happening on stage is entirely organic and off-script. The moments shift (and rightfully so) uncomfortably from the serious, to the offensive, and at times empathetic. At the same time, the scenes are peppered with bits of comedy (well done by Tom Benigno as Juror Seven in his snazzy fedora hat.)

 

The strength of this production lies in the spark that those on stage successfully evoke in their audience. As a juror, can you trust how the details are pulled together to form an argument? Is it possible to keep your personal experiences from clouding your judgement? Doesn't everyone deserve a fair trial? Visions of the sequestered jury on the over-televised, over-dramatic (and disheartening) Casey Anthony trial surfaced. One can only begin to imagine the discussions, the tension, and the scenarios discussed once the trial was complete and everyone was awaiting their decision. The day-to-day work could have been as passionate and explosive as it was on this stage. There is so much truth in this play, 65 years later.

 

Despite the fact that we never learn the names of these jurors, each has a distinct personality and it is intriguing to watch as they grow and change during the course of the play. Most effective was Juror Three. He was combative. He was stubborn. He was emotionally invested when he didn't want to be. Raymond A. Taliercio put together a powerful performance from the way he interacted with the other jurors to dealing with his own internal struggles. Kevin Brown (Juror Five), Patrick J. Hughes (Juror Ten), and Bob Hertz (Juror 11) round out this exceptional cast that works together as some kind of discombobulated machine. Sure, everyone gives and takes at different times but it just manages to work.

 

Merrick's production of 12 Angry Men proves that a well-written, thought provoking play and an electric group of ambitious and hardworking actors are all you really need to have an engrossing theatre experience.

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Twelve Angry Men is playing at the Merrick Theater and Center for the Performing Arts in Merrick, Long Island through February 5th. Performances are on Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:30pm and Sundays at 3pm. For more information, please visit the theater's website here.

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