- NIGHT OF JANUARY 16
- Reviewed by Carol Kaufman Segal
|
Did she, or did she not do it?
That is the question to be ascertained in the trial of Karen Andre (Nancy
Young), being prosecuted for the murder of her lover in Ayn Rand’s play,
Night of January 16, playing at the Odyssey Theatre in West Los Angeles.
Written by Rand in 1933, first produced in 1934 in Los Angeles, the play
was based on the death of Ivar Kreuger, a successful Swedish entrepreneur
who swindled millions from his investors (ala Madoff).
Once wealthy Bjorn Faulkner
deceived his investors and was facing bankruptcy. In order to save
himself, he borrowed money from a prominent banker, John Graham Whitfield
(Cal Bartlett) and subsequently married his daughter, Nancy Lee Faulkner
(Ann Henson). Karen Andre had been Faulkner’s secretary and lover for ten
years and remained so even after his marriage.
|
- Nancy Young, Don Moss, Dianna Wilson, John Candelaria,
Larrs Jackson,
- Arthur Richardson
|
Andre and Faulkner were in the penthouse of
the Faulkner Building when he seems to have, either been tossed
over, or fallen from the balcony to his death. Karen Andre has been
charged with the murder of her lover. We first hear from the
prosecution lawyer, District Attorney Flint (Don Moss) whose
witnesses include Medical Examiner Dr. Thomas Kirkland (Ivan
Borodin), Night Watchman John Hutchins (Arthur Richardson), Private
Detective Homer Herbert Van Fleet (Lary Ohlson), Faulkner’s
housekeeper Magda Svenson (Terri Marsteiner), Police Detective Elmer
Sweeney (Ivan Borodin), Nancy Lee Faulkner and John Graham
Whitfield.
After all of these testimonies, Defense Attorney Stevens (Vern Urich)
puts the following on the stand: Faulkner’s Bookkeeper Siegurd
Jungquist (Andre Tenerelli), Gangster Guts Reagan who is in love
with Karen Andre (Yancy Dunham), Karen Andre, and then calls for
testimony, once again, from John Graham Whitfield.
In the final analysis, the testimonies of each side are
contradictory (someone must be lying!) and the play leaves us with
12 jurors who are chosen from the audience to decide the fate of
Karen Andre. (How distinctive and entertaining!) Therefore, every
show can have a different ending. The performances by all of those
involved are quite believable (Ann Henson seemed less so in her role
as the somewhat jilted bride.) under the direction of Charles
Picerni. Others in the large cast included Larrs Jackson as Judge
Heath, John Candelaria (Coourt Clerk), Aaron Benore (Court Clerk),
Daniel Lee Everson (Bailiff), Steve Peterson (James Chandler) and
Dianna Leanne Wilson (Court Reporter).
Odyssey Theater
2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd.
West Los Angeles, CA
Performances Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM, Sundays at 2 PM
through November 14, 2010
Reservation: (310) 477-2055
Comments? Write to us at:
Letters@ReviewPlays.Com
|
|
