If you want to see what outstanding direction of a play means, get yourself to the Mint Theater’s production of Conflict. Jenn Thompson has orchestrated a masterful revival of this superb 1925 story by Miles Malleson. The Mint Theater’s mission is to rediscover lost or neglected works and has been on an impressive tear of truly outstanding productions lately. That list includes last year’s Yours Unfaithfully by the same playwright. Conflict is near the top of anything they have ever staged.
Within the scope of an off-Broadway budget, Ms. Thompson has managed to present a gorgeous to look at physical production inhabited by a stellar cast. It certainly helps that the play is excellent and politically topical (conservatives versus liberals). But this drama has been elevated by some of the finest pacing I can remember. The silent pauses are as extraordinarily tense and as important as the spoken words. When all of these elements come together as richly as in this production, that is directorial genius. Bravo.
Conflict is billed as a love story. The Lady Dare Bellington is a wealthy young woman (Jessie Shelton) involved with Major Sir Ronald Clive (Henry Clarke). The time is early 1920’s London at the time when the Labour Party was becoming the primary challengers to the Conservatives. In this play, personal relationships, political persuasions, women’s attitudes and her place in society all converge. When you throw in the down-on-his-luck character of Tom Smith (Jeremy Beck), the tinder sets fire and never diminishes.
Act III, Scene 1 takes place in a bed-sitting room in some London lodgings. Amelia White expertly portrays Mrs. Robinson, the owner, who has rented a room to Mr. Smith. This scene between Tom and the Lady Dare is one of the finest pieces of acting and directing I expect to be fortunate enough to see this year. The chemistry between them is, incredibly, both seismic and restrained. Ms. Shelton and Mr. Beck are superb, as is the entire cast.
Additive to this playgoing experience is the Mint’s typically excellent set design by John McDermott. All of the creative contributions are memorable. The costumes by Martha Hally are ideal. The production is bathed in great lighting by Mary Louise Geiger. This is top notch theater.
The ending lines of Conflict are urgently important to be heard in today’s America. Yes, Conflict is about opposing political views. The play is also about family, love, personal growth, apathy, birthright and beliefs. Undoubtedly one of this year’s great productions, the Mint Theater’s Conflict, directed by Jenn Thompson, is not to be missed. I sincerely hope that regional theaters everywhere grab this one now that it has been rediscovered.
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