Actor Richard Halverson is Judge Francis Biddle, former U.S. Attorney General to Franklin Roosevelt in the early 1940s.,"”Trying," the latest production at the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre (158 N. Broadway in the Third Ward) is a charming, poignant and ultimately profound tale of tolerance, growth and redemption.
Actor Richard Halverson is Judge Francis Biddle, former U.S. Attorney General to Franklin Roosevelt in the early 1940s. The play is set in 1967, when Biddle is all of 81 years old. He hires a sweet but strong-willed secretary named Sarah Schorr (played by Molly Rhode) to aid him with his finances, personal matters and writing of his memoirs.
Senile, Biddle is not. He's still as sharp as ever, despite his "list of ailments from here to Mt. Rushmore," as he puts it. Biddle is cranky, moody and judgmental—essentially a Scrooge for all seasons. He is also decisively cognizant of his impending death. On Sarah's first day, he announces, "I'm fairly certain this is my final year."
Sarah and Biddle's relationship is at first, of course, tumultuous. They bicker over matters like grammar, finances and personal ideals so often that it nearly drives Sarah to quit, just like the past secretaries Biddle has hired. Once Biddle convinces her to stay, a subtle power shift emerges that carries over into the second act.
Judge Francis Biddle was a real person and it is evident through his dictations to Sarah in the play he led a fascinating life. He regularly conversed with presidents, once dated famous actresses, and rose to power and prominence residing over the Nuremberg Trials. But his life is not really what's on display in "Trying."
Arguably, the most immediate theme of "Trying" is tolerance. Once Biddle learns to tolerate Sarah (and vice versa), they are able to connect in a way that stimulates growth in both. They allow themselves to trust each other and that trust grows into affection. Through that trust, they are able to reveal parts of themselves and of their past that normally would not be revealed in any other professional relationship.
"Trying" feels so intimate not just because of the subject matter, but also because of the Chamber Theatre environment itself (the studio theatre seats a maximum of 99 people). Beyond that, because "Trying" features just two actors, there isn't excessive jostling between characters to grab audience attention. The audience is able to connect to both equally and, indeed, connect with them deeply over the course of the two-hour play.
Much rests upon the acting, and Halverson and Rhodes do not disappoint. Halverson's comic timing and delivery are delightful, and his voice exudes a certain gravitas and yet, vulnerability. Rhodes matches him step for step, with an endearing Canadian accent and a headstrong persistence needed to combat her boss's demands.
Much credit should also go to the script, written by playwright Joanna McClelland Glass (who served as secretary to the real Judge Biddle in 1967). The candor Glass imbues into her script is often humorous and touching. When Sarah becomes pregnant in the second act, the idea of one life ending and another beginning comes into focus, which could be a cliché, but is instead moving, even life affirming. In fact, the entire play is life affirming, illuminating the fact that personal growth can come from the unlikeliest of places, or from the unlikeliest of people. "Trying," which runs until Dec. 16, is a must-see.
“