Produced by DramaDogs, A Theater Company, written by Jerry Slaff, and directed by Michael Gros, Lies is a play about relative truth that pits a green public defender against a Nazi propagandist convicted of treason. The attorney enters this interrogation room discussion intent on earning parole for his client against all odds (and public opinion), thus making a name for himself. The wrinkle in his plan appears when he discovers that the prisoner, Lorelei, an American citizen who worked as a radio broadcaster in Berlin during WWII, does not want life on the outside.
There’s a lot to like about this intimate, two-person play. The set up of Lies — a “Berlin Betty” who doesn’t want parole and the Jewish attorney who desperately wants to rig a defense that will set her free — creates an interesting dynamic between characters with the potential to reveal themselves as fervent, hypocritical, and steeped in the various dogmas of a post-WWII era. Leesa Beck as Lorelei and Nik Valinsky as attorney Benny Kleinfeld are well-cast and acceptably intense within the confines of their limited relationship, one rife with suspicion, incredulity, and manipulation.
The show does, however, have room for intensification. Honed character motivations would tighten Benny and Lorelei’s intentions, giving the actors a more specific frame for chasing their wants and needs. As is, there’s some nebulosity surrounding what these characters actually want from this interaction. For instance, there are certainly easier ways for Lorelei to avoid parole than stringing along a public defender with the coy reveal of her story, so there must be a reason she continues the interaction in this fashion. Bolstering some of these pressure points could result in an even stronger dramatic work.
Overall, Lies provides an interesting dance of conversation about the authenticity of “truth.” See the show at Center Stage Theater through September 6. centerstagetheater.org/show-details/lies
You must be logged in to post a comment.