Review of Hannah and Martin
- Highly Recommended

reviewed by Tom Williams
Chicago Stage Talk
5/10/03

“There are no dangerous thoughts; thinking itself is dangerous. To think and to be alive are the same.”

“Promises are the uniquely human way of ordering the future, making it predictable and reliable to the extent that this is humanly possible.”

”The sad truth is that most evil is done by people who never make up their minds to be good or evil.”

—Hannah Arendt

TimeLine Theatre gets it right most of the time. Judgment…which plays to produce…whom to cast…and who should direct. Three shows: Awake and Sing!, Hauptmann and now, Hannah and Martin all fantastic shows! They ‘know’ quality theatre and they produce mind-bending art. TimeLine is one of those theatres where you can just order tickets and not be worried about the name of the play since they always select tremendous plays. Hannah and Martin is another proper selection. I was mesmerized from the first few lines of dialogue.

Kate Fodor’s World Premiere, Hannah and Martin, is a smart, wordy piece of fiction based on real people during world changing times. Fodor’s script is rich with long diatribes from the two philosophers as they discuss and argue the merits of truth, humanity, reason, nationality and political ethics. Fodor never bores us, a testimony to brilliant writing together with proper direction, pacing and fantastic acting. We hear German accents throughout, yet nothing suffers. We hear all the nuances and the subtleness.

Hannah and Martin’s intelligence implores us to remember that special teacher/professor whom we idealized, even worshipped as we became focused on their subject. Hannah and Martin is based on the life of the Jewish political theorist Hannah Arendt (1906-1975) and her lover, the renowned philosopher Martin Heidegger (1889-1976), who became a vocal supporter of Hitler during World War II and never publicly relinquished his ties to the Nazi party. This is a fictionalized version of the story. While the central facts and themes are based on historical accounts, the play takes liberties large and small for dramatic purposes. The result is stunning. The debates and arguments Hannah and Martin go through in act two are a symposium on modern philosophical thought.
Two geniuses’s struggle to deal with arrogance, personal accountability and forgiveness. Who is to judge whom? Fodor never resorts to TV sitcom or made-for-TV versions of history where everyone forgives and forgets. This play has smart, reasonable conclusions that were in keeping with the characterizations presented. Hannah doesn’t forgive Martin for his Nazi collaboration and Martin never displays remorse for his actions.

What gives this work its power is the talent of the cast. Director Jeremy B. Cohen finely tuned each character; the supporting members were wonderful. Danica Ivancevic as Elfride Heidegger (Martin’s wife) was wicked and cold while James William Joseph as Gunther Stern was vulnerable and naive. As good as the supporting actors were, the play rests upon the performance of those playing Hannah and Martin.

David Parkes as Martin Heidegger had the presence, the charm, the charisma and the arrogance to make Martin the intimidating personality who could win the female student as a lover and easily dispose of her as his career dictated. Parkes has a fine German accent and the elocution skills necessary to be convincing as the German philosopher. Parkes is a marvelous actor.

Elizabeth Rich gave the best performance I’ve seen this year as Hannah. Her body language went from star-struck student, nervous in front of her mentor/lover to suave, confident sophisticated public speaker and hard-driving intellectual. Elizabeth Rich smoothly takes her character through her emerging persona in a convincing intense portrayal of the strong intelligent female. Rich moves on stage with the grace and vigor of a Katherine Hepburn or a Joan Crawford. Rich’s quiet power lies in her non-verbal glances and stares. Elizabeth Rich’s tour de force performance beckons a Jeff award.

Get to TimeLine Theatre to witness history and theatre in a special blend with some philosophical thoughts thrown in just for measure. You’ll enjoy this exercise in drama. It’ll satisfy your intellect and leave your thirst for entertainment quenched.

“What makes it so plausible to assume that hypocrisy is the vice of vices is that integrity can indeed exist under the cover of all other vises except this one.”

“Love, by its nature, is unworldly, and it is for this reason rather than its rarity that it is not only apolitical but anti-political, perhaps the most powerful of all anti-political human forces.”

—Hannah Arendt