AmericanTheaterWeb Original News & Reviews

Wouldn't it be great to have a president willing to accept responsibility for his actions? One who was willing to say things like "manure" about policies, colleagues and situations that he didn't like? Well, while it's doubtful that we will find such a leader in the Oval Office any time soon, we can turn back the clock to the late 1940s and early 1950s, and revel in one such leader, President Harry S. Truman, thanks to the revival of Samuel Gallu's Give Em Hell Harry!, which just opened at St. Luke's Theatre in midtown.

Bix Barnaba in Give Em Hell Harry!
Photo: Doug Engalla

Starring in Gallu's comic drama – which of course was a major hit for James Whitmore in the 1970s – is Bix Barnaba, who brings the thirty-third president to life with an amiable feistiness that one can't help but wishing were more prevalent among elected leaders today. During the course of Gallu's drama, Truman offers up memories about his tenure in the Oval Office and in the political arena before "accidentally" arriving at the role of commander-in-chief. At times, Gallu's construction for these memories can feel ungainly or even curiously terse. Truman's decision to use the bomb to end the war with Japan is handled in a matter of moments.

But in other sections of the play, such as when Truman describes the extended conflict in Korea and his ongoing feud with General MacArthur, Gallu’s play is leisurely and provides in-depth historical information and Truman’s personal perspectives on the nature of war. Not only does the play come to life vividly here, so too does Barnaba’s performance. And, for contemporary audiences, this mid-20th century history has uncomfortable resonance as parallels to the war in Iraq become apparent.

Perhaps most illuminating are the moments when Truman shifts his thoughts back to his early political life. During these moments, he offers a truly frightening picture of the bigotry that he confronted in his home state of Missouri during the 1920s and 1930s, when the Ku Klux Klan held such sway that his stance on rights for African-Americans and Jews cost him an election. It's fascinating history that delivers true insight into Truman not only as a politician but also a member of the human race.

Unfortunately, director Stan Mazin's staging of the play – which shifts rapidly from anecdote to anecdote – feels unnervingly jagged. Uncredited lighting design shifts disconcertingly throughout, sometimes creating a glare that washes out the performer and the stage (which recreates, in a barebones manner, the Oval Office). But though the physical production may distract, it's difficult to not enjoy revisiting a time when leaders said what they meant and meant what they said, and didn't formulate their policies or opinions based on polls or the media's need for soundbites.

---- Andy Propst

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Give Em Hell Harry! plays at St. Luke's Theatre (308 West 46th Street). Performances are Tuesday at7pm; Wednesday at 2pm and Saturday at 5:30pm. Tickets are $31.50 and $56.50 and can be purchased by calling 212-239-6200 or by visiting www.telecharge.com. Further information is available online at: www.stlukestheatre.com