All photos by T. Charles Erickson
Conflict. It’s the essence of
drama. No conflict -- no drama. There simply has to be something up for grabs,
and the degree and intensity of the grabbing quite often dictates the emotional
involvement of the audience. So, how involved is the audience in “The Second
Mrs. Wilson,” a new play by Joe DiPietro in its world premiere at Long Wharf
Theatre? In one person’s opinion, less than it should be.
The premise is solid: President
Woodrow Wilson (John Glover), a widower, is, circa 1915, trying to keep the United States out of the conflagration that is
consuming Europe , but the war mongers are
calling him coward and urging him to send “our boys” overseas to pay back the
Huns for all of their dastardly doings on the high seas. As Wilson agonizes over his options, seeking
advice from his long-time friend, Colonel Edward House (Harry Groener), a woman
comes into his life – Edith Bolling Galt (Margaret Colin), a direct descendant
of Pocahontas. The widow of Norman Galt, a jeweler, she is introduced to the
president by his cousin. The president is smitten and a scant nine months later
Edith and Woodrow are married.
Margaret Colin
The travel and strain take their
toll on Wilson, who suffers a stroke in 1919. Given Wilson’s inability to
function fully on a daily basis, Edith, believing she understands better than
anyone else Wilson’s dreams and hopes,
takes over many of the president’s administrative duties, much to the
consternation and frustration of Vice President Thomas Marshall (Steve Routman)
and Secretary Joe Tumulty (Fred Appelgate). The Senate rejects the treaty,
shattering Wilson ’s
dream.
This is heady stuff – the stuff of
history and high drama, but the tensions, the stakes – the conflict – simply
aren’t palpably there in the play. Yes, we have all of the “facts,” but the
characters seldom come to life, turning the play into a dramatized history
lesson.
What does work is the human
relationship between Woodrow and Edith – his giddy delight in her and her
growing devotion and dedication to him. In these intimate scenes, Glover and
Colin bring their characters out of the dusty history books and show us a man
and a woman who find, somewhat late in life, what they have been looking for.
Colin is also extremely engaging in her extended scene with Groener, in which
she puts Colonel House in his place, using sarcasm and innuendo.
John Glover and Nick Wyman
Alas, these sparkling moments fade
as the “facts” overwhelm the essence of drama. The problem is that DiPietro,
who penned “Memphis ”
and “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change,” seems to be handcuffed by
history. Anyone familiar with this time period in America knows the story he is
telling, although argument continues over the extent of Edith’s influence and
her true intentions. DiPietro seems to want to “get it right,” which is good if
you are writing a history book but may not serve if you are writing a drama.
Lord knows, other playwrights have played fast and loose with “the facts” to
serve the god (or goddess) of drama. Think of Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” or
Jerome Lawrence and Robert Lee’s “Inherit the Wind.” Historians might carp, as
they did and continue to do about these plays, but playwrights are charged with
creating a different kind of “truth.”
One of the truths DiPietro seems to
have been going for is the misogyny of the era. The play is set in the White
House, but before the curtain the male characters, save for Wilson , have gathered to play pool in what
appears to be an exclusive men’s club. The message is clear – this is a man’s
world, complete with liquor and cigars. That this is also the White House,
where Edith will eventually hold sway, visually presents what might have been
DiPietro’s focus, but the focus is diffuse, even though the males “lurk” in the
background throughout most of the play, lounging and watching. Is the play
about the political in-fighting that led to the rejection of the Treaty of
Versailles, is it about Wilson’s rigid Presbyterian moralism that perhaps stymied
his attempt to create a just and equitable peace, or is it about Edith and what
angels or devils compelled her to do what she did, or is it about the mind-set
that eventually would be termed the “glass ceiling,” or is it about love and
devotion? DiPietro touches on all of these themes, but without focus the inherent
drama of each is underdeveloped. A lot happens in the two hours, but you come
away not really sure about what, exactly, has happened or what you were
supposed to care about.
“The Second Mrs. Wilson” runs
through May 31. For tickets or more information call 203-787-4282 or go to www.longwharf.org.
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