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| Dan Norman Photography |
So, in a time of anti-"woke" government action, slashed federal funding for the arts, and the freaking takeover of the Kennedy Center by a president whose idea of art is having a solid-gold toilet, we come to Mae West and the Trial of Sex, John Heimbuch's new play, produced by Walking Shadow Theatre Company.
While West courted controversy throughout her career, the play centers on a remarkable trial that played out in 1927, centered on her hit Broadway play, "Sex." Early in the year, the play drew the ire of multiple power brokers, including Randolph Hearst, who wanted to "clean up" Broadway -- for the kids. (It's always for the kids, isn't it?)
While "Sex" -- and a couple of other edgy Broadway plays -- were targeted with raids, the real target was a new work by West that was set to premiere. This was "The Drag," which centered on transsexual life -- and advertised 20 authentic drag artists from Greenwich Village.
In the face of the raids and the charges, West and her producers fought the resulting charges and took the case to court.
That's the background, but where Heimbuch's play really works is in the exploration of these complex characters. West was no pure spirit fighting for creative rights. Instead, she was a complex woman who craved success, and could be cutthroat when she thought she needed to be. This created victims intended (the original playwright of "Sex," who sold the rights in a near-"Superman" level deal) and unintended (the talented drag artist who was set to star in "The Drag," and who helped write much of the script.)
That's brought home by Emily A. Grodzik's terrific performance. Her first moments on stage are compelling, as she captures the look and voice of West to a T. However, this isn't just an imitation, Grodzik inhabits the complexities of the character. You soon forget you are watching an actor playing a famous celebrity, and just sink into this thrilling, maddening character on stage.
Grodzik is joined by a company of six who take on the dozens of other characters we meet, from family and actors, to the politicians, police officers, and producers who inhabit this world. Director Alison Vincent fosters a real sense of energy, with scenes shifting at a breakneck, Jazz-Age pace, but all of this never becomes confusing or overwhelming. This is aided by the actors who provide sharp, distinct characters at each turn.
And while the parallels to modern times are obvious, Heimbuch leaves those to the audience to draw. The script is all about these brief months in the winter and spring of 1927, even if the past few years of the culture wars have shown that these age-old issues -- of artistic freedom, censorship, and living life as the person you truly are -- are not going away.
Mae West and the Trial of Sex runs through June 22 at the
Crane Theater.
