"The Bully Pulpit"
The Bully Pulpit by Michael O. Smith, directed by Richard Hopkins.
A one-man show can be tiresome, but when the single character is as multi-faceted, humorous, emotional, and historically attractive as Theodore Roosevelt and the only actor as multi-talented, humorous, emotional and historically representational as Michael O. Smith then the experience is more than just theatrical.
It is historical.
Set in the drawing room at Roosevelt’s home, Sagamore Hill, on the occasion of his 60th birthday, the sense is that the audience consists of invited guests to the party who have been granted a moment alone with the former U.S. President. He talks, jokes, cajoles answers to his little history quiz about his accomplishments like a carnival barker. He shows off his trophies, brags about his sons and shares his concerns about his daughter Alice. After a few minutes you feel you’re there. The two hours fly by and it is just the applause that reminds you that you have been in a theater watching a play.
Smith’s script has been in development with director Hopkins help at the Florida Studio Theatre in Sarasota. Smith has appeared in Chester before as Roosevelt, in the two-hander, John and Teddy with Chester’s Founding Director Vincent Dowling. He seems to have taken Roosevelt’s own advice, "do what you can, with what you have, where you are," and crafted an evening’s entertainment that fits his age, body, voice like a rubber suit. Not once in the entire evening did I hear or see or even suspect the actor’s presence. He is that good in the role. He established Teddy from the first moment and never lets him go, even during the near break-down over the death of his favorite son in "Puddinhead" Wilson’s war to end all wars.
Amy B. Davis’ set holds all of the elements needed to show the many sides of this man who occupies the room. While it is not a visual snapshot of Sagamore Hill, it is a fine representation of the place. Rich with its red drapes and fine woods, elegant furniture but hunting trophies, the room seems to embrace its occupant with both the familiar and the necessary. Marcella Beckwith has provided period costumes that fit the man and his historical periods and Lara Dubin has done a very nice job with the lighting as well.
There is appropriately martial music to welcome the audience and it almost all works to the good of the show. Sousa marches lead the way and Sousa, as he tells us himself, was his favorite composer. "There are two kinds of music," Roosevelt says, "Sousa and everybody else." Unfortunately the sound person has included a very lengthy version of Broadway marches written by George Gershwin a decade or more after the date of this show (1918). They are so familiar that though the quality of the music is consistent, the tunes are jarringly out of place: the only note that misfires in this entire evening.
"Too old for service," Mr. Roosevelt has been adjudged by his peers; on this 60th birthday he shows himself to be too young to count over and out. If you don’t believe that, well, his wife Edith has her say in the matter during the evening. Complex but easily understood, this man, in this show, is the person everyone wants to know, if not be, at least for a while. And the celebration of his 60th continues unabated through July 15. Don’t miss the cake!
Chester Theatre Company performs in the Chester Town Hall, just off Route 20 in the Pioneer Valley. Ticket prices range from $22.50 to $27.50. For more information call 413-354-7771 or go to their website at www.chestertheatre.org