It’s only December 13 and I’ve had enough holiday hilarity and jolly-holly spirit. For a little bah humbug, let’s talk about the rise of fascism in 1932 Germany. Fortunately Blank Theatre Company helps us do this with their staging of Tony Kushner’s 1985 play, A Bright Room Called Day, a dramedy that might be called a political fantasy. Director Danny Kapinos does a masterful job of merging past and present and his talented cast brings the story of artists facing exile with daring and humor.
It’s New Year’s Eve 1931 and five artist friends have gathered, as they often do, at the Weimar-era Berlin home of Agnes (Katherine Schwartz), an actor who is lucky enough to have a small but well-appointed apartment. Toasting the new year with her are her boyfriend Husz (Raul Alonso), a filmmaker; plus Baz (Grant Carriker), a gay man who works for an institute of sexuality; Paulinka, a film actor (Brandy Miller); and Annabella, graphic artist and activist (Shannon Batchelder).
Husz proposes a toast to Agnes and the friends cheer the idea. “Occupant prima of our affections, immovable tenant of this small, solid room: health, happiness and relative safety on this fierce and splendid night and for many years to come, dear heart.”
During the scene that follows, the friends tell stories and comment on their fears for themselves and for Berlin in the coming year. Projections show photos of huge crowds at rallies and headlines of events to come: Political tension, fierce fighting, the Weimar coalition growing shaky, a presidential election, Hindenburg defeating Hitler.
A Bright Room Called Day tells the story of how these five friends respond to the events of the next year, as the power of fascism increases. A year later, Hitler, whose party holds the most seats in the Reichstag, is appointed chancellor by Hindenburg and the Nazi government becomes the Third Reich. Some of our friends protest in the streets and support the Russian Comintern movement in Germany (until all political parties are outlawed).
The theme that looms in their futures is exile, of leaving the home they love for another country. (Not all are German natives. Husz is Hungarian and lived briefly in Russia as a filmmaker.) Should we stay or should we go, and if we go, what is the best and safest place for artists?
The friends’ activities and conversations are interspersed with visits by characters incidental to the plot. Most importantly, Zillah (Lilah Weisman), an American student in Berlin, is a figure who appears out of the 1980s Reagan era to complain about the rise of the right wing and Reagan’s veering toward Hitlerian behavior. She appears in interruptive scenes throughout the play, sometimes with her German friend Roland (Grayson Kennedy), who is notable for his fluent German speech. Zillah doesn’t understand him at first and they have trouble communicating, but Zillah learns a little German and their friendship grows.
Other characters are conjured out of the minds of our actors. Die Alte (“the old one,” nicely played by Ann James) materializes in Agnes’ solitude, begging for food and commenting on what’s going on in the streets as Nazis expand their power. Their exchanges are in poetic language. In one of their scenes, Agnes tells her, “I want to stray / Far from my home / Bright room called day; / past where deliverance of hope can find me.”
During an evening when Agnes, Husz and Paulinka are together, Husz reflects on his Carpathian roots and conjures up the Devil (aka Gottfried Swetts). Ben Veatch makes a cameo appearance as the dapper demon (without the flaming red duds), drinks wine and chats about art and filmmaking with the actors.
The play is performed in a small studio space at the Greenhouse Theater Center, a space appropriately matching Agnes’ small apartment. Alex J. Gendal’s projections keep us informed of the march of Naziism throughout the play with imagery and headlines. Cindy Moon’s costumes are a particular delight for this production; the designer creates a large and amazing palette of women’s and men’s clothing appropriate for the era and the artistic nature of the characters. Marcus Klein’s functional scenic design backgrounds the costume choices. Ellie Humphrys adds dramatic lighting design. James Allen is composer.
Playwright Kushner based his script for A Bright Room Called Day on Bertolt Brecht’s Fear and Misery of the Third Reich, also known as The Private Life of the Master Race—first produced in 1938 in Paris. Fear and Misery was produced here by Haven Theatre in 2018. Kushner updated his 1985 script in 2018, titling it A Bright Room Called Day (Revisited), adding a character and references to the first Trump presidency
A Bright Room Called Day by Blank Theatre Company continues at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., through January 5. Running time is 2 hours, 40 minutes with one intermission. Tickets are $15-$35 and are available here.
For more information on this and other productions, see theatreinchicago.com.
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