Parlous Times

One of the ugliest periods of American history was generated by the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC) in the mid-20th century. Dalton Trumbo, the highly respected writer of "Roman Holiday," "Exodus" and "Spartacus," among other films, mirrors the travail of many accused of Communist Party sympathies by the committee. His story, written by his son Christopher, is illuminated in Barrington Stage Company's current production.

The first victims of the communist witch hunt were the Hollywood Ten, screenwriters who may or may not have been members of the American Communist Party, a legally sanctioned political entity. These writers and several hundred who followed them were stripped of their reputations, careers and dignity. Though Trumbo lived and continued to write to the age of 71, other victims committed suicide or left the industry they loved.

The play, in the form of a staged reading as it was performed during its off-Broadway run, uses Trumbo's letters and other extracts from historical documents to pay tribute to the man and to reveal the destructive nature of the time.

All of this is detailed in Trumbo's writings, which is part of the problem with the play. Christopher Trumbo uses the letters verbatim rather than judiciously editing them. Some of the material used to display the elder Trumbo's often irascible character and political ideology is repetitive. Our patience is tested by listening to material that is not necessarily relevant or revealing.

Since the letters are the foundation of the work and were not intended to be part of a theatrical rendering, there is little drama here. Intellectually, we can empathize, but that is not enough to touch us. Thom Christopher, directed by Julianne Boyd, tries to inject life into the the play, but it's like building a house without a hammer.

The staging is static; Christopher never gets out of his chair, and Brian Hutchinson, who plays the younger Trumbo and others, has little dramatic movement. To complement the narrative and letters, old newsreels and photos are shown. Regrettably, though, some of them are washed out and it is difficult to see what is on the screen.

The work's value, though, is its content, if not its drama. The ideas and the era it portrays tell us a lot and make the play worth seeing. What we learn should put the country on guard against the destruction of our civil rights while surrendering to panic. You may find yourself thinking over these ideas for many days to come.

"Trumbo" runs at Barrington Stage at 30 Union St., Pittsfield, MA, through Feb. 24. For tickets, call 413-236-8888 or go to www.barringtonstageco.org.