In this challenging play the question is: “Does one need to have journalistic integrity when writing an emotional essay that will be published in a magazine”? Jim Fingal is a young chap with Harvard Crimson editing laurels, and he has been hired by the publisher of a serious magazine to be the fact checker on an article by John D’Agata, a noted American essayist. Based on an actual literary duel between two outspoken and passionate men, it explores the clash between non-fiction and poetic license.
Jim’s job is to verify that all the facts and claims in this
story are accurate and represented fairly. However, John is the noted author and
editor of six scholarly nonfiction books, whose work has
been honored as proving that “the
essay should make, and not merely take; that it should gamble with the fictive
and not just trade in the real.” This means that although he certainly takes liberties with the truth, he sees it
entirely as his right because he is promoting emotions not dry facts.
Eager young Jim seems at first to be a bit of a pedant, finding innumerable mistakes and underlining small details that don’t line up with the facts. However, once the two men are face-to-face the question of the play resounds loud and clear. Artistic license is no longer an option. According to Jim, you can’t just make it up for effect anymore – the online police patrollers are waiting, and they will crucify you on the worldwide internet.
We
are left with this conundrum, and I only wish they had an audience vote at the
end on whether to publish as is or send this corrupted essay into the round
file.
You will enjoy the challenge of this play and the wonderful performances of Ron Bottitta as John, the beleaguered essayist; Jonah Robinson as Jim, the cheeky but intense fact-checker, and Inger Tudor as a savvy publisher with a true modern dilemma. She knows that the internet is watching and waiting to trip you up and blast you into space.
Directed
with humor and dramatic intensity by Simon Levy and produced by Stephen Sachs
and James Bennett at the always theatrically provocative Fountain Theatre in
Hollywood. Photos by Jenny Graham.
Note: Sorry about the printing glitches but my laptop has its own ideas!
