Review: WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME at Round House Theatre
Never has a play been so timely!
The fine playwright Heidi Schreck has written an impassioned play about the many undercurrents and issues that percolate throughout the United States Constitution in the stimulating and invigorating production What the Constitution Means to Me. The constant tension between this cherished document as a more legalistic document to be taken literally (originalist interpretation) and the more fluid interpretation of the Constitution as a living, breathing document –are felt throughout this absorbing and ever-timely play which is presented by the Round House Theatre.
The words “We the People” are the first words one sees at the beginning of the Constitution (a copy of the full Constitution was inserted into the program that each audience member received) and the accent was quite properly placed on “the people” in this play. This production intersperses real historical audio transcripts from Supreme Court proceedings with anecdotes, heart rending (and sometimes amusing) stories from a loving yet fractured family as well as vital judicial rulings.
Director Morgan Gould propels the narrative with texture, nice pacing, and a very human touch of authenticity. Ms. Gould worked -with the approval of playwright Schreck—to update the script to reflect on recent Supreme Court Rulings. Ms. Gould never makes the mistake of having the material appear as didactic or strident but, rather, she directs with a tender empathy and deep understanding of the intersections in life.
A little bit of history: The Constitution was written in 1787, ratified in 1788, and it has been in effect since 1789. There are seven articles and there are twenty-seven amendments, and the first ten amendments are referred to as the Bill of Rights. These historical facts were embedded in the production in a very cohesive manner as the lead actress portraying Ms. Schreck (a superbly natural and authentic multi-faceted performance by Kimberly Gilbert) incorporates vital legal and historical information with alternately serious family themes and a concurrent understanding of human fallibility.
The (theatrical) concept of having the main character narrate the history of having a career by entering debating contests as a young woman and relating this past trajectory by bringing up relevant topics (especially as pertaining to feminism) is effective. It is an authentically exciting concept to have a high school student (Fadekemi Laniyonu –the evening I attended) portray a debate with the protagonist for, indeed, it brings in the hope of a new generation getting involved with civic duty and responsibility. The breaking down of the fourth wall to make the Round House Theatre audience complicit ---as if the audience were the audience at the actual debates of the protagonist –-is an ingenious theatrical device to make the proceedings more interactive and less static.
The acting by Kimberly Gilbert is the essence of a highly trained actor as Ms. Gilbert never appears to be performing; she is totally “in the moment.” Memories of the movie Dirty Dancing, a sock puppet as a comforting friend, and the trials of growing up in unequal times made for heart breaking as well as amusing yet thoughtful moments for the audience. Ms. Gilbert had a very disarming and even refreshing air about her.
A sense of anguish about her grandmother’s abuse and her mother’s abuse at the hands of men made for a very human and very feminist lament on the inequities of the judicial process and legislative realities. Ms. Gilbert sustains long scenes with detailed emotional recall that horrifyingly convey the emotional toll that several judicial decisions took from her being. Ms. Gilbert stunningly captures the humanity of a very daunting leading role that is replete with exceptionally long extended monologues as well as intricately layered family stories and anecdotes.
In other roles, Mike, the American Legion member (Michael Glenn) and the high school student debater (Fadekemi Laniyonu) expertly perform their roles. During the evening I attended, the play ran two hours with no intermission rather than ninety minutes---this is no great tragedy but I would suggest that the temptation to, perhaps, extemporize a bit with the audience and to gauge timing based on audience reaction be curtailed a bit so that the play could tie up a bit earlier ----the play loses some accrued power with an overlong playing time ------(unless an intermission is added).
Several legal and timely events have been on people’s minds and no doubt have affected the reaction to this play. The recent overturning of a fifty-year precedent (Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization) and the decision that the right to abortion was not protected by the Fourteenth Amendment was galvanizing. The recent national presidential election has provoked polarized reactions and there is an ongoing lack of civility in the public forum. The very recent decision by the administration to remove the birthright status of children who are born in the US (but have parents who are non-US citizens) has engendered a strong reaction---as it does not adhere to the Fourteenth Amendment.
Scenic designer Shoko Kambara has efficiently designed a set that portrays an American Legion post replete with a speaker’s podium, flags, and photographs of members on the upstage center wall. Lighting designer Minjoo Kim has subtly lit the stage as befits this production.
Universal-- yet timely, spontaneous-- yet historic and educational, this stellar production is based on a very literate book by Heidi Schreck, and it is decidedly a civics lesson for the theatre community. Kudos to Round House Theatre for presenting this superb production with an excellent book by Heidi Schreck (in a totally new updated adaptation with the cooperation of Director Morgan Gould) and a powerhouse performance by Kimberly Gilbert. Never has a play been so timely!
Running Time: 90 minutes with no intermission
What the Constitution Means to Me runs through February 16, 2024, at the Round House Theatre located at 4545 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD, 20814.
Photo credit: Kimberly Gilbert in Round House Theatre's production of What The Constitution Means To Me. Photo by Kent Kondo.
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