Maddie (Melissa Friedman) and James (Godfrey L. Simmons Jr.), as Supreme Court law clerks in A More Perfect Union. (Carol Rosegg)
While working late in the Supreme Court law library one evening, Maddie encounters James. Although they are both law clerks, working for two different Supreme Court justices, James is more informal. He’s munching on a snack, for which Maddie chides him—no food allowed in the library. And she pores over the thick tomes on her table.
James is obviously interested in Maddie, but she does not reciprocate, at least not at first. A fair amount of stage time is taken up with their flirtation, interspersed with political comments.
Gradually, Maddie responds to James’s attentions. However, their romantic togetherness is at odds with their politics and there is some friction.
But any superficial differences go by the wayside when Maddie announces that she is pregnant. She is torn with conflict; her career is everything to her. She wanted to be great!
Worse, the justice for whom Maddie clerks is now working on a case that may redound upon her: It concerns a situation wherein employers feel they are justified in firing female employees who have become pregnant. Where does Maddie stand on that issue?
It’s up to Maddie to reach a conclusion—and the audience.
Ron Russell has directed the play at a brisk pace, drawing out excellent performances from the two actors. Set designer Troy Hourie has made good use of the theater’s limited stage area with levels and a small set of stairs increasing usable space.
An extra feature of Epic productions is the postshow discussions with pertinent guests. Various law professors have been assigned to follow this show’s performances. At the performance I saw, it was Daniel Richman, professor of law at Columbia Law School and former clerk for Justice Thurgood Marshall, who led the discussion.
A program note states: “Epic Theatre Ensemble is a company of Citizen-Artists using theatre to inspire dialogue about vital social, ethical, and political issues.” Some notable prior off-Broadway productions include Judith Thompson’s Palace of the End, Nilaja Sun’s No Child, and Howard Barker’s A Hard Heart.
Of interest is the fact that director Ron Russell and actress Melissa Friedman are two of Epic Theatre’s founding executive directors, among others.
A More Perfect Union
East 13th Street Theater
136 East 13th Street
Tickets: (212) 352-3101 or www.epictheatreensemble.org
Running time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Closes: June 7
Diana Barth writes and publishes “New Millennium,” an arts journal. For information: www.diabarth@juno.com. She also reviews for TotalTheater.com.
