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The General From America
By Richard Nelson
Directed by Louis Contey
At Timeline Theatre
615 W. Wellington
Chicago, IL
Call 773-281-8463, tickets $25
Thursdays & Fridays at 8 PM
Saturdays at 4 & 8 PM
Sundays at 2 PM
Running time is 2 hours, 25 minutes
Through October 8, 2006
Intense character study brings Benedict Arnold’s treachery into focus
Timeline Theatre’s niche is making history come to life. With Richard Nelson’s 2002 play, The General From America, they have a deeply moving and psychologically intense drama reflecting on the motives that led Benedict Arnold to betray his country.
The General From America features Colonial Era dress complete with the vivid red of the British military and the dark blue of the American military with the full-skirted gowns women fancied. Powered wigs and buckled shoes (costume design by Alex Wren Meadows), together with period perfect furniture and terrific lighting design (Keith Parham) and authentic original music and sound (designed by Andrew Hansen) enhanced the production.
Director Louis Contey’s cast features marvelous performances including the deeply emotional tormented Terry Hamilton brings to the American hero General Benedict Arnold. Hamilton portrays Arnold as a complex, contradictory man. He is part brave soldier, part loving family man, part moneymaking businessman. Arnold’s motives for betraying his country seem complex and contradictory and Hamilton deftly demonstrates Arnold’s angst in human terms. Was it because Arnold was rebuked by Congress and George Washington? Was it for personal monetary gain? Or was it to give his young wife a lavish lifestyle? Playwright Nelson weaves Arnold’s motivations into a complex and psychological character study that is engaging and insightful.
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We meet Benedict Arnold, his young wife, Peggy (Mackenzie Kyle) and Arnold’s devoted spinster sister Hannah (Jennifer Avery) as they host the young Alexander Hamilton (Tom Bateman) who must question Arnold about the charges that Joseph Reed (Vincent P. Mahler) has launched about Arnold’s military governorship of Philadelphia. These early scenes hint at the contradictory traits of Benedict Arnold’s personality. His charm, arrogance and defiance are all on display.
We meet the handsome actor, poet and intelligence operative, Major John Andre (Stephan Madar) of the British Army who is the favorite of Sir Henry Clinton (Nigel Patterson), the British military commander. Andre has exchanged letters with General Benedict Arnold to probe Arnold’s loyalty to the American Revolution. The plot thickens when Arnold is summoned to General George Washington’s (David Parks) headquarters.
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The moving scenes between Park’s Washington and Hamilton’s Arnold are the highlight of the work. Both play the struggling leaders with richly nuanced agony that comes from long years at war with both the British Army and the Continental Congress. Arnold doesn’t hesitate to sign the loyalty oath demanded by Congress. Act two unfolds the action of Arnold’s treachery as he outlines a plan to turn over West Point and General Washington to the British. Only a drunk, fumbling Andre prevents that from happening. The last few scenes show Arnold’s true motivation and the reaction from the British who don’t admire a dishonorable man.
Besides the magnificent work from Terry Hamilton and David Parks, kudos to Tom Bateman’s take on Alexander Hamilton and Nigel Patterson’s so English Sir Henry. Jennifer Avery as the devoted Hannah Arnold and Mackenzie Kyle’s sensual and devious Peggy contributed much to this outstanding play.
The General From America sheds light on one of the least know events from the American Revolution as we see how a hero can make such an uncharacteristic decision to betray his country. Playwright Nelson, director Contey and the players have produced a theatrically compelling drama. This is first class theatre.
Highly Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: August 26, 2006
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