Reviewed by Karen Schwartzkopf
Would that every politician in office today could spend a day in Atticus Finch’s shoes, or better yet, inside his skin. This hero-attorney and father consistently grounds his decisions – whether they’re about doing his job or raising his children – in self discovery, when he declares, “…before I can live with other folks I’ve got to live with myself.”
Atticus (played with grace and skill by Adrian Rieder) is a visionary who practices law in the real world of small-town, poverty-stricken Maycomb, Alabama. To Kill a Mockingbird, a story fraught with complex social issues such as racism, rape, mental illness, and addiction in the deep-south thirties, is warmed considerably by Harper Lee’s touching portrayal of the lawyer’s relationship with his two children, Scout (fifth-grader Molly Nugent), Gem (Nick Dauley, a freshman), and their friend Dill (seventh-grader Henry Boyle). Invariably, the most insightful wisdom is imparted during talks on the porch with the knowing father’s arm draped over a child’s shoulder. To Kill a Mockingbird does not rest entirely on those collective young shoulders, but fortuitous casting from the local talent pool made director Rusty Wilson’s job of bringing Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel to the stage much more rewarding for the audience. In addition, the seamless blending of the music from the choir comprised of African American actors in the “colored balcony,” which includes two stirring solo performances, serve to make the production even more endearing.
As inspired as Atticus Finch’s idealism is and as rich and involving as Christopher’s Sergel’s script is, hearing the “N” word used freely onstage will always be startling and upsetting. I reread Lee’s book specifically because of this production, but until I was transported to a time long ago courtesy of excellent stage design and management (Ron Keller and Rick Brandt respectively) I didn’t truly connect with the realistic story of humanity and hope that pulls no punches.
My 15-year-old daughter is reading To Kill a Mockingbird in English class, as I’m sure many high school students will this year and next year and the year after that. It’s encouraging also, to see that a stage version of this classic was produced ten years ago in Richmond. We should all hope the play will be produced again and again on the Richmond stage and in theaters across the country.
The good news is, whether you’ve read the book, seen the movie or play, or are only vaguely familiar with the classic, no matter your age, it’s time well spent taking in To Kill a Mockingbird from Virginia Rep. If you’re a teenager, you see that the actions of one person can make a huge difference and perhaps even bring about change in the world. If you’re a parent, you’re reminded that our kids are watching everything we do and occasionally, even listening to what we say. And every decent person who hears Lee’s important story gets a new handle on moral integrity from Atticus himself: “You never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them.”
Part of Virginia Rep’s Signature Series at November Theatre, To Kill a Mockingbird runs through October 20. Visit Virginia Repertory Theatre: To Kill a Mockingbird, 2013 or call (804) 282-2620 for showtimes and ticket information.
Ask about same-day Rush tickets and U-Tix for university and high school students. Bring a student group to a 10:30 a.m. performance on October 17 or 18 for as little as $14 each. Click for details.
