Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Lessing’s still-relevant NATHAN THE WISE casts a quiet spell at CSC

• By drediman
• April 21, 2016
• No Comments

Last night, I caught a performance of Gotthold Ephraim Lessing’s rarely-performed Nathan the Wise (in a 2003 translation by Edward Kemp) at Classic Stage Company. Lessing’s play, a plea for inter-religious tolerance between Christians, Jews, and Muslims, was first published in 1779 but was not performed until 1783. Ahead of its time, it was deemed unfit to be performed by the Church during Lessing’s lifetime. The play takes place in Jerusalem in 1192 and tells a Shakespearian tale of forgiveness and lost families that are once again found within the context of the inter-religious conflicts of the time. Unfortunately, the playwright’s message remains as potent today as ever.

The production marks Brian Kulick’s swan song to Classic Stage Company and its patrons after 12 seasons of being its artistic director (John Doyle steps up to the plate next season). His staging of Nathan the Wise takes on a casual, almost detached, conversational quality that takes a while to get used to, particularly given the weighty subject matter. However, once the exposition is established, Mr. Kulick’s subdued approach draws the audience in and casts a delicate spell. The cast is excellent and is led by a charismatic, quietly majestic performance by Oscar-winning F. Murray Abraham (who never seems to age) in the title role. He fits the role most perfectly. Other standouts in the cast include the compellingly animated Caroline Lagerfelt, who effectively doubles as Daya and the Patriarch, and an interestingly and successfully cast Stark Sands as the tempestuous young Templar.

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NATHAN THE WISE
Off-Broadway, Play
Classic Stage Company
2 hours, 5 minutes (with one intermission)
Through May 1