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Lewis and Clark Reach the Euphrates
By Robert Schenkkan
Directed by Chris Maher
Produced by Infamous Commonwealth Theatre
At National Pastime Theater
4139 N. Broadway
Chicago, IL
Call 312-458-9780, tickets $20, seniors/students $15
Thursdays thru Saturdays at 8 pm
Sundays at 3 pm
Running time is 2 hours, 30 minutes with intermission
Through May 18, 2008
Lewis and Clark Reach the Euphrates needs to be rethought.
I understand why Infamous Commonwealth Theatre looked at Robert Schenkkan’s 2005 play, Lewis and Clark Reach the Euphrates. He wrote The Kentucky Cycle which won several Jeff Awards for Infamous Commonwealth Theatre. But I am amazed that they produced Lewis and Clark since it is a poorly organized play. Director Chris Maher and his cast worked hard to make something of Lewis and Clark Reach the Euphrates but it is simply too contradictory a script. It tries to do too many things.
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Schenkkan tries to blend humor with serious, often sentimental, takes on American history, particularly early 19th Century when Thomas Jefferson was President. Schenkkan doesn’t go far enough with his satire and sarcasm toward historical figures. He is trying to point out the smugly moralistic and intolerant views of the white Americans toward people of color. The arrogance and self-righteousness of Jefferson and his explorers, Lewis and Clark, sets the tone for future American foreign policy. In 1803, Jefferson completes the Louisiana Purchase from Napoleon. Lewis and Clark embark on a journey to map out the new American territory with an eye for the Northwest Passage which could link the Atlantic with the Pacific Ocean.
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Act one, finds William Clark (Craig C. Thompson) and his partner Meriwether Lewis (Stephen Dunn) traveling on the Missouri River westward. They encounter several Indian tribes. Lewis’ arrogance together with Clark friendly, yet condescending attitude, befuddle the Indians. The mixture of humor, racism and jingoism produced mixed signals to the audience. Is this play a satire or a serious drama? It tries to have it both ways. At times, this production bordered on silly. We see Lewis and Clark as self-adsorbed adventurers dedicated to their mission. The early history of exploration covers most of the first act. Lewis comes off as a fanatic and wound-too-tight leader while Clark is more of a nice guy scientific type. These archetypes seem more cartoon characters than believable historical figures. All the screaming doesn’t help. Near the end of act one, somehow the story jumps to the Spanish American War (circa1900), first in Cuba with Teddy Roosevelt (Kevin Grubb) at San Juan Hill, than with a sadistic American Army general (Paul Joseph) in the Philippines. The natives are slaughtered and tourtured by the Americans, who view non-whites as subhuman. Lewis and Clark are befuddled by what they see.
In act two, Lewis and Clark are appalled by the violence and intolerance they witness. Lewis becomes a drunk and junky while Clark pines for his love, Sacagawea, their former female Indian guide. As history spins forward to Viet Nam and Iraq, Lewis and Clark are catapulted into becoming tools of an American foreign policy based on racism and intolerance with hidden agendas.
Schenkkan paints a wide scope and a simplistic view of American history laced with over simplified propaganda. This play offends us more than enlightens us about American foreign policy. The play’s lack of focus and contradictory tones confuse us. The hard working cast, led by Craig C. Thompson and Stephen Dunn, tried to make a worthy show out of tough material. There are some fine moments here, too bad they hard so little to work with. I suppose political activists might enjoy this play. Infamous Commonwealth Theatre’s body of work over the past few years has been terrific so we’ll forgive them for picking this play.
Somewhat Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: April 19, 2008
Jeff Recommended
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