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Regional Reviews: San Francisco A Provocative Production of David Mamet's The Anarchist Also see Patrick's review of Edith Piaf: Beneath Paris Skies
Staged by Jon Wai-keung Lowe, with his grim representation of an institutional office along with his exceptional lighting, and directed by John Fisher with precise blocking with robustness, the drama becomes more intimate with the capabilities of two gifted actresses. Tamar Cohn sharply plays Cathy, an aging woman who has served 35 years of a life sentence for the killing of two police officers during a failed robbery. Her crime was carried out under the banner of an unidentified anti-government extremist group that bears a resemblance to the Weather Underground. Although born Jewish, she now has converted to Christianity and is not afraid of using its rhetoric of change and forgiveness to show the inquisitor that she is no longer a threat to society and should be paroled to care for her aged parent. Velina Brown beautifully plays Ann, the case officer tasked with assessing Cathy's eligibity for parole. She reproaches Cathy for withholding information on the whereabouts of a woman who was her lover and collaborator in the robbery incident, although the prisoner denies such knowledge. Ann contends that without that final capitulation, maybe even with it, the inmate remains morally guilty and deserves nothing. Tamar Cohn and Velina Brown inhabit their characters and they have excellent chemistry in this provocative drama. David Mamet's The Anarchist runs through January 17th at the Eureka Theatre, 215 Jackson Street, San Francisco. For tickets call 1-800-838-3006 or visit www.TheRhino.org.
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