Review: LET IT BE ART! HAROLD CLURMAN'S LIFE OF PASSION at 1st Stage
Fans of theater history should run and catch Ronald Rand’s fascinating solo show, which is part of the Logan Festival of Solo Performance at 1st Stage through August 30
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Fans of theater history should run and catch Ronald Rand’s riveting solo show Let It Be Art! Harold Clurman’s Life of Passion, which is part of the Logan Festival of Solo Performance at 1st Stage in Tysons Corner, Virginia. Harold Clurman was an esteemed theater actor, director and critic beginning in the 1920’s. He is referred to as the “Elder Statesman of the American Theatre,” having directed more than 40 plays on Broadway, including A Member of the Wedding, Bus Stop and Awake and Sing! Notably, he was one of the founders of The Group Theatre, along with Lee Strasberg and Cheryl Crawford, in New York City in 1931.The Group Theatre, which was strongly influenced by the revolutionary Stanislavski style of acting, went on to become one of the most revered theater companies in the United States during the 1930’s. Many great actors came out of the Group theater, including Karl Malden, Frances Farmer and Lee J. Cobb (in addition to several important playwrights and directors such as Clifford Odets and Elia Kazan). In addition, Clurman, Strasberg and Crawford went on to teach a whole new generation of actors. Rand recounts how Clurman helped discover Marlon Brando and shape his acting style when Clurman directed Brando in the latter’s breakout theatrical role on Broadway in Truckline Cafe.
International Cultural Ambassador Ronald Rand vibrantly brings Harold Clurman to life in this solo production that Rand himself created. Rand has been performing this show for 26 years now, all over the world (in 29 countries), including three off-Broadway productions. As he mentioned in a talk-back after the show, Rand spends up to 3 hours preparing for each performance so as to allow himself to be inhabited by Harold Clurman. The effort really shows from the moment Rand enters the stage in a distinguished hat and cape to the music of Aaron Copland, who was a roommate of Clurman’s in Paris during the 1920’s when Clurman studied at the Sorbonne.
For theater-loving audiences, this is a golden opportunity to spend a little over an hour in the staged presence of the theatrical legend who passed away in 1980. Clurman’s illustrious career intersected with many of the great artists and performers of the early-to-mid twentieth century, giving Rand a plethora of theater tales from which to choose. Late in the show, Rand shares a delightful anecdote about Clurman’s encounter with Jackie Kennedy that led to him bringing her to a production of Tartuffe.
The stories that Rand (as Clurman) tells regarding the history of theater are both captivating and timely. They resonate with the social political climate today. For example, many of the members of The Group Theatre, including Clurman, were called before the House of Un-American Activities Committee in the 1950’s, a reminder of the power of theater with its often radical ideas that are vulnerable to attack in the court of public opinion.
Clurman, as portrayed by Rand, is a fascinating personality, not only because of his impressive history with theater during such a pivotal time, but because of all of the profound thinking Clurman did about what exactly theater is, the importance of theater to society, and what makes theater most effective and resonant for its audiences. As Rand notes and himself demonstrates, for Clurman, actors in the theater are artists delivering a message that will inspire and move audiences.
The technical elements of the solo production are solid. The set is very colorful, populated by period furniture and knickknacks of Harold Clurman, some of which are mentioned in the show. The lighting design by Adam Mendelson enhances the production and Rand’s performance, adding dramatic effect to a number of passages.
Theater lovers should not miss Rand’s illuminating and poignant journey through the career and legacy of one of the stage’s brightest luminaries.
Let It Be Art! Harold Clurman’s Life of Passion is playing at 1st Stage through August 30. Performance run time is approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes without an intermission.
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