David Mamet hears unforgettable voices, many of them from those who dwell in the dark underbelly of America’s cities: hoodlums, con men, gamblers, drifters.
But Mamet writes convincingly about a different slice of life, too. In 2009, “Race” appeared — a drama that is being given an excellent production at Theater J. It shows how well Mamet represents people who have attended Ivy League schools and have countless diplomas on their walls.
“Race” is structured around four characters: two partners in a law firm, one black, Henry (Michael Anthony Williams), and one white, Jack (James Whalen); a young black associate, Susan (Crashonda Edwards); and a man, Charles (Leo Erickson), who wants them to defend him against what he claims is a bogus rape charge.
Directed with precision by John Vreeke, the play barrels along swiftly, beginning with snappy dialogue in the first scene. We learn not only the facts of the alleged rape case, but receive even more information regarding Jack’s and Henry’s attitudes toward race, power and the law.
| Onstage |
| ‘Race’ |
| » Where: Theater J, 1529 16th St.NW |
| » When: Through March 17 |
| » Info: $15 to $60; 202-494-8497; theaterj.org |
Though the first half of “Race” glitters with razor-sharp wit and humor, spiked by the usual number of four-letter words for a Mamet play, it’s not until the end of “Race” that Mamet’s brilliance as the creator of a clever plot is revealed. For all their belief in their ability to know how to try a case, Jack and Henry are brought low by Susan, whose street smarts outdo their rarefied, educated attitudes toward life.
The cast of “Race” is uniformly good, making abundantly clear how venal, devious and duplicitous most of Mamet’s characters are. Whalen plays Jack as a superslick businessman, far more interested in money than justice. Williams portrays Henry as a cynical realist who will not sugarcoat the issue of racial harmony: In his world, it doesn’t exist.
The wealthy man who wants to buy his way out of a rape charge is portrayed with appropriate bluff and bluster by Erickson. Edwards is pitch-perfect as Susan, who is not without blame but seems to have a moral interest in the proceedings.
Misha Kachman’s set is an upscale law office with chunky black leather chairs, black occasional tables and high double doors leading to an outer room. Chris Baine’s sound design is a reminder that we live in a modern, nonharmonic world.
“Race” is not intended to resolve conflicts but to illuminate them. And Theater J’s “Race” crackles with dramatic tension as it highlights those conflicts — not only about race but also about sexuality, guilt, shame and class in America.
