Review: JQA Brings Past to Present at Arena Stage

John Quincy Adams is not the first person who comes to mind when you think of American Presidents. Nor is he the second, third, fourth, or likely in most people's top ten. His legacy is often boiled down to following in the footsteps of his more-famous father and serving a one-term presidency riddled with questionable policy decisions; occasionally it is known that he became the first president to serve in Congress after the presidency. Fewer still realize that this complex historical figure served as the connecting thread between the Founding Fathers and President Lincoln, who served alongside Adams in the House of Representatives and was part of Adams' funeral committee.

Playwright and director Aaron Posner takes advantage of this limited knowledge of such a complicated man by turning his long, fascinating life into a vehicle to examine government, public service, the presidency, and politics as a whole. As part of Arena Stage's Power Plays Initiative, JQA serves as both a reflection on the man and an insight into our country today.

From the outset, JQA establishes itself as an historical play rooted in the present - it opens with a young John Quincy speaking with his father, John Adams, as they ponder a question that was clearly a guiding force in their lives as well as one that still rings with importance today: "What is government?" From there, we flash forward to John's meeting with then-President Washington, who offers him the opportunity to leave property law for public service, and assures him that pursuing one's calling and serving one's country is worthwhile. We then move to a later part in John Quincy's life, after he has married and is faced with an offer to assume the difficult post of an ambassadorship in Russia that will require uprooting his family, something his wife, Louisa, strenuously objects to doing. The scene is particularly fascinating because the arguments about serving the greater good at the expense of self and family are the very real, difficult decisions that many people, especially those in public service, face every day. It's easy to imagine all former presidents as selfless demigods who subverted any sense of self to their sense of duty, particularly when they've been gone long enough to be either lionized or forgotten in history books, so this scene, which shows a very real, human, and relatable conflict is particularly poignant.

Later, the newly elected Adams is seen drinking with his former rival and subsequently appointed Secretary of State, Henry Clay. The two, over whiskey, reflect on their similar and diverging philosophies of government, wondering at the value of compromising ideals for the sake of progress over holding steadfast to the ideals that you've been elected to support. Their conversation, particularly when it turns to ways to gain public support for your political purposes, echos the ones we hear in the halls of Washington today; the conversation fits into both the past and present perfectly, reminding us these questions are neither new nor simple. Adams is still struggling with these questions when he leaves the presidency, and when he returns to public service as a member of the House of Representatives. His meetings with advocate Frederick Douglass and the young Congressman from Illinois, Abraham Lincoln, show that while his ideals and faith in the nation have not wavered, he's not blind to the fact that the Founders were flawed, and that more work was needed to help the country live up to its promise.

Despite its serious, retrospective premise, one of the delights of JQA is that it's also quite funny - the show finds humor in most of its heavy subjects, and draws laughs from the audience as it winks at modern events and mindsets. As Posner notes in the playbill, the show is based on and rooted in historical information, but it's not an historically accurate play; I noted a few anachronisms and blatant references to events that hadn't yet occurred, which were only frustrating because they drew attention away from an otherwise strong show. Posner explains that the intention is to examine the political landscape we see today through the lens of the past, and the result is a smart play that speaks well to audiences without feeling preachy or losing its humanity.

Part of the credit for this must go to the wonderful cast. Jacqueline Correa, Eric Hissom, Phyllis Kay, and Joshua David Robinson each portray Adams at various points throughout his long life, as well as the key characters surrounding him, from his parents and wife to Henry Clay and Andrew Jackson to Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. The range (and accents, with the help of dialect and vocal coach Lisa Nathans) is impressive, but all the more so because each portrayal felt strong and accurate. The production cleverly transitions from one JQA to another in an exchange of jackets (designed by Helen Huang) that mark the passage of time, the changing fashions, and Adams' changing status. Meghan Raham's set design is minimal and fluid, and allows the audience to become immersed in the history without losing the thread that allows them to connect the show's themes to the present.

JQA is an ambitious, delightful work that not only makes for an enjoyable theater experience, but also leaves its audiences ruminating on the deeper philosophies it explores. The strong cast and clever production designs are worth the trip alone, but the overall result is something that will linger in minds long after the lights have lifted, much like any presidential legacy.

JQA is playing at Arena Stage through April 14th as part of the Power Plays Initiative, and runs for ninety minutes with no intermission. Tickets are available for purchase on the Arena website.

All photos are courtesy of C. Stanley Photography.

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