"Masterful Presentation"Review posted by: B. J. Campbell from El Mirage, Arizona, Nov 01, 2009
Actor/playwright David Lewis brings Benjamin Franklin
to life in
"Mr.
Franklin of Philadelphia"
November
9, 3:06 PM Phoenix Theater Examiner Maile
Hernandez
"Mr. Franklin of
Philadephia" runs through 11/15
It's a common interview question and
icebreaker: if you could have dinner with one figure from history, who
would it be?
Local actor and playwright David
Lewis, with his one-man play Mr. Franklin of Philadelphia, gives us a
chance to experience what it might have been like to share a few glasses of
wine with Benjamin Franklin.
Lewis and Franklin already have one
thing in common - each wear a lot of hats. Lewis'
website offers a long list of Franklin's - "printer,
pamphleteer, inventor, politician, philanthropist, social activist, scientist,
satirist, statesman, and diplomat." This list doesn't even include
husband, father, and friend to dozens of other well-known political figures of
his time.
Lewis' own titles include
playwright, screenwriter, actor and director. Even for those of us not
necesssarily intrigued by history, Mr. Franklin of Philadelphia is worth
seeing for the sheer impressive fact that it was dreamed up and willed into
being all through the force and dedication of Lewis alone. It is a
fairly unusual artist, local or otherwise, who has the talent, drive and
boldness of spirit to get up one morning and remark, "I do believe I'll
write a play, produce it, and perform it, all by myself."
Lewis does an admirable job bringing
the figure of Benjamin Franklin out of the dusty pages of history books and
onto the stage as a fully rounded human being. Far from just a
figurehead, decorated with accomplishments and spouting words of wisdom, Lewis
reminds us that Benjamin Franklin was a person of many
facets. His portrayal of Franklin allows us to see, at
various different moments, Franklin's sense of humor, his charm, and his
blustering opinionated attitude. We are also made privvy
to some of his deepest personal regrets in regard to his private
life.
A particularly searing moment comes
when Franklin makes mention of one of his sons, who died at age four. He
does not dwell on the tragedy. It is only a sentence or two, brief and
blunt, but the fleeting expression of grief is intense and memorable, as is
Franklin's later confession of regret at being out of the country,
virtually estranged from his wife, at the time of her death.
On the flip side, Franklin's
repeated expressions of irritation at John Adams are endearing and utterly
relatable comic relief. How many co-workers annoy each other in a
multitude of ways?
Lewis brings extraordinary heart,
effort and talent to this obvious labor of love. His dedication is
evident in his attention to detail and meticulous preparation. Throughout
the entire evening of nonstop talking, he never stumbles over even a single
word.
The Phantom of the Opera it is not, and a dedicated attention span is required.
But there is a very relaxing rhythm to the show. It has the feel of
sharing a living room with a very personable companion, just passing the the
night away sharing war stories and observations about people's
idioscyncracies. That companion just happens to be Benjamin
Franklin.
That Lewis undertakes this massive
an endeavor at all is worthy of applause and admiration, even if the final
product were only mediocre. But the fact is that Mr. Franklin of
Philadelphia is an excellent piece. It is thought-provoking and
enlightening, and would be a very effective educational tool if performed, in
whole or in part, for student audiences. With any luck, this will not be
the last we hear of this intelligently written show.
Mr. Franklin of Philadelphia will complete its run at the Playhouse on the Park, on the
ground floor of the Viad Tower, with performances November 12-15.