Oh, Those Witty 18th Century Brits

Josh Krause, Madeline Calais-King, Brian Mani. Photo by Michael Brosilow.

The current theme (at the Skylight and the Rep among other companies) might be the holiday spirit, but make room for another powerful topic: the British 18^th century and the humanity of its diaries, letters and epithets. These are the driving force of both the Next Act Theatre‘s latest show and what’s hot now on public television.

The comparison of PBS and a small theater may seem haphazard, but it is an inevitable linkage for those paying attention to the best work right now in the performing arts. There is an astonishing use of 18^th century language and storytelling both in Boswell and in the raft of famous actors doing the voices in Ken Burns‘ documentary The American Revolution. 

Boswell, like the TV show, boasts notable actors and the clever use of observations and dialects. Onstage it is woven into an imaginative memory play that rockets us between Chicago of 1950 and the London and Scotland of the late 1700s, some 250 years ago. At Next Act, Dr. Samuel Johnson, eminent wit and lexicographer, launches his stentorian barbs at the Scottish, the American colonies and his dutiful scribe James Boswell who was often dismissed by scholars as the simpleton who accompanied Johnson on his travels.

On TV it takes six episodes of roaming power, but the purpose is always clearly about the factions of America struggling for change. At Next Act, the purpose is not always as clear. We curtsy in and out of conversations, places and eras, fascinating to watch but where are we going? Still, the journey and its people are always engaging and mentally challenging.

The play exists in large part because of university research that changed the view of Boswell from tagalong diarist to knowledgeable and interesting companion – and committed libertine.

The real author here, since the script is both fictionalized and a probing re-use of the language of the times, is Marie Kohler, a Milwaukee writing treasure who helped found the Renaissance Theaterworks (which now makes its home at Next Act). She is a playwright who has won many awards and has taken the Boswell-Johnson play to many places, including Edinburgh and off-Broadway. Details may have changed but the leads are still notable pros Brian Mani as Johnson and Josh Krause as Boswell.

She has reached into a treasure trove of discovered manuscripts that revealed Boswell as far more than the enthusiastic scribe. He is also an outlandish chaser of every skirt in the brothel and a conversationalist who could hold his own with Johnson and the era’s great names – painter Joshua Reynolds, writer Oliver Goldsmth, actor David Garrick and others who flit in and out of Misti Bradford’s costumes. They are played by an excellent squad (actually only three men and three women) rapidly changing wigs and identities.

Holding the story together is another character, a modern-era graduate student named Joan, played straight-forwardly (observant, timid and then outspoken) by Madeline Calais-King. She mainly serves as the patrons’ sounding board, which turns out be a weakness in the play despite an actress capable of evoking much more.

Krause as Boswell moves nimbly from over-eager to always lecherous to surprisingly intelligent, a performance where Krause turns little gestures into big laughs and turns his Scottish brogue into a persuasive weapon.

Mani, not only as Johnson but in other roles requiring a stern presence, doesn’t just dominate the stage when he should, he amuses us with his gentler touches on how to use language like a rapier. There is formidable fun with the hammy gestures of the era’s overblown stage-acting, which also serves as a counterpoint to the quality of the actors today.

Perhaps there is no surprise to theatergoers in the varied personalities adopted by David Cecsarini, for three decades artistic director at Next Act as well as one of its lead actors. Whether playing a fussy professor, a drinking playwright, a death-focused philosopher or a Scottish cabbie too brogued to be understood, he is a pleasure.

So is Sarah Zapiain, who not only plays painter Reynolds, but every wench and matron Boswell makes a pass at, though the pass often begins with her flirtatious wink as various characters. She transforms into a mournful singer in a finale duet with Heidi Armbruster, another fine actress used in many roles because of her facility with language and movement.  She is particularly memorable as the Scottish lady who wields her brogue for humor and double meanings, goading graduate student Joan to activate her conscience and loosen her viewpoint.

Let’s not pretend. The fictional Joan is close to playwright Kohler as the modern voice on a quest to understand friendship and the true role Boswell plays. The playwright’s efforts to make that insight touching are shrewdly reflected in the dialogue but actually lead to too many endings – as if Joan and the playwright can’t make up their mind.

This weakness in the script is covered by the depth of humor and pace – making speedy jokes out of entrances, exits, costume changes and a chamber pot flung over the stage wall. There are many small moments that rely on the actors and the script by Kohler — but most realized in my opinion by director Laura Gordon. She is herself a formidable actress who intellectually understands the little acting moments and production values so needed to anchor a fantasy.

The set and props by Jody Sekas are a purposeful clutter of books, trunks and paintings – hardly haphazard as the action in the play demonstrates.

Boswell, at about 110 minutes without intermission, runs through Dec. 14 at the Next Act Theatre, 255 S. Water St., with tickets still available. For those interested in the history surrounding the times and its lead characters, there are audience guides in the lobby.

Boswell Gallery

Dominique Paul Noth served for decades as film and drama critic, later senior editor for features at the Milwaukee Journal. You’ll find his blog here and here. For his Dom’s Snippets, a family history and memoir, go to domnoth.substack.com