Okay, the election is almost over, and with luck we will soon return to whatever version of normalcy Covid-19 allows.
But what about politics? Americans have been complaining about it – and almost all candidates – since the U.S. was established way back in the 18th century.
If the events of this year’s election cycle seem extreme to you, take a deep breath and let San Diego Repertory Theatre take you back to those early days with a filmed version of Aaron Posner’s delightful civics lesson and paean to American politics “JQA.”
That would be John Quincy Adams, of course, born to the second U.S. President, whom we will meet as a 9-year-old and follow his – and the country’s – stories through to JQA’s old age and the arrival of the young man from Illinois, Abraham Lincoln.
“This is not historical fiction,” we are told, “but fictional history,” related in a series of imaginary encounters with historical figures of the moment.
"JQA" offers four actors: an African American woman, an African American man, a Latinx man and a white woman. All play JQA at different times (and can be identified by the red jacket they wear). And all play two to four other characters (John Adams the elder, John’s wife Abigail, JQA’s wife Louisa, James Madison, George Washington, Henry Clay, Andrew Jackson, Frederick Douglass and Lincoln) as well. If it gets a bit confusing, relax and enjoy the dialogue. There will not be a quiz.
Director Sam Woodhouse’s powerhouse cast – Larry Bates, Crystal Lucas-Perry, Jesse Perez and Rosina Reynolds – play these ten roles without dropping a word or an appropriate attitude. Reynolds gets the medal for the most portrayals: five, all excellently played. Bravos to costumer Anastasia Pautova, lighting designer Chris Rynne and sound designer Matt Lescaut-Wood as well.
JQA was groomed to a political career, though he claims it wouldn’t have been his first choice. A voracious reader who loves theater and writing (which he does daily in his journal), he spent time as ambassador to the Netherlands and Russia before deciding to run for President and later Congress.
But the question under consideration here isn’t whether JQA should run for office or teach at Harvard. It’s this: Just what should this young, scrapping country be and do? What is (or should) a democratic government be about? Who should run it?
Given the difficulty of two people finding agreement on nearly anything in the political realm (especially this group, whose widely divergent ethnic, religious and social groups led them to leave where they were and become Americans (and, in many cases, slaveowners), it’s scarcely surprising that there’s a lot of arguing in this play.
JQA, for example, when he finally becomes president, complains to old friend and political foe Henry Clay that “I just thought I’d have some power. Some capacity to actually make things happen. They are determined not to do things – things that matter to the real people they are sworn to serve – simply because it would mean I had accomplished something!”
JQA has a list of things he thinks government should do: establish observatories, build roads, adopt standard weights and measures to make business easier. Clay not only questions those as valid projects for government to undertake, but has an even less palatable suggestion.
“Here’s an idea you’ll hate,” he says. “I’m going to use the C word: COMPROMISE! If you don’t learn to compromise, you’re going to find yourself playing more golf than governing.”
Sound a little…..recent? Remember, this is historical fiction, but oh, so relevant.
“JQA” is a delightful and wonderfully presented visit to a fanciful version of our forefathers (and mothers).
“JQA” has been extended to November 29. Don’t miss it.
