Jordan Wright
February 9, 2016
Special to The Alexandria Times
Anthony Giardina’s The City of Conversation opens with a prophetic quote from then President Jimmy Carter – “the erosion of our conscience in the future is threatening to destroy the Social and Political fabric of America”. And in this tale, its families too.
It’s 1979, eight years before journalist and Washington power hostess Sally Quinn declared the death of the political insider dinner party. It was a time when the city’s power elite regularly negotiated over congenial cocktails and swank dinner parties in historic Georgetown homes – a time when the socially talented wives of certain influential men held considerable political sway. The title comes courtesy of author and social reformer, Henry James, a Victorian liberal who would have known that a social gathering of Supreme Court justices, politicians of both stripes, DC socialites and media power brokers would create a highly charged atmosphere.
In admirable fashion Margaret Colin portrays Hester Ferris, a modern-day Helen of Troy, who is based on a composite of several well known Washington hostesses of their day – Pamela Harriman, Kitty Kelley, Evangeline Bruce, Perle Mesta and Sally Quinn, wife of the late Washington Post editor, Ben Bradlee. (We know this from the revolving slide show of their photos in the theatre’s lobby and from Giardina’s acknowledgement that Quinn gave script advice.)
Hester is a staunch liberal whose inner circle includes her lover, Virginia Senator Chandler Harris (Tom Wiggin) and her spinster sister and secretary Jean, played outstandingly by Ann McDonough. On this night she is preparing to entertain the racist Republican Senator from Kentucky, George Mallonee (Todd Scofield), in order to sway his vote. But her dinner is upended when her son Colin (Michael Simpson), returns home early from Britain with his future fiancée and conservative firebrand, Anna (Caroline Hewitt). Colin wryly explains his upbringing to Anna, “Dinner is always about something. Other kids got “Pat the Bunny”, I got Tocqueville.” When the politically ambitious Anna challenges Hester’s liberalism, and proves to be a worthy opponent, the drama kicks into high gear and Colin is forced to take sides in a house divided by power, politics and ultimately a mother’s betrayal of her only child.
Less than a decade later we find Hester fighting Reagan’s nomination of Robert Bork to the Supreme Court, Anna triumphing the cause of Oliver North and Chandler asking for sexual reassurance. When Anna threatens Hester that her actions will result in her never seeing her adored grandson Ethan (Tyler Smallwood) again, there is a collective gasp from the audience that could rattle the 12-paned windows of Georgetown’s historic homes.
Director Doug Hughes places the action in the round, which sometimes results in 90˚ of the theatre laughing uproariously while the other 270° are straining to catch the punch lines. Though some were missed, enough landed to sustain the humor, especially this zinger from Hester, “A president used to be able to get out of the White House, come to Georgetown and get advice!” That went out with bell-bottom trousers.
If you’ve ever wanted a sneak peek into the glamor, gossip and Machiavellian intrigues of the Georgetown salon, this play lays it all at your feet – the polite arm-twisting, the post-prandial cigars and the deal-making all taking place over bourbon and branch. It’s parlor politics at its best, served up effortlessly by a cast who does witty and wisecracking to perfection.
Highly recommended.
Through March 6th at Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth St., SE, Washington, DC 20024. For tickets and information call 202 488-3300 or visit www.ArenaStage.org.