Ben Butler at The English Theatre of Hamburg

A Civil War drama with laughs? It may sound a bit odd, but that’s exactly what this unique play is – funny as well as intensely dramatic, with most of the humor stemming from the idiosyncrasies of the four characters. It’s 1861, on the eve of the American Civil War. A runaway slave, Shepard Mallory, shows up at a Union-held fort in Virginia demanding refuge. But federal law compels the return of escaped slaves to their owners, which puts Major General Benjamin Butler, commanding officer at the fort, in the hot seat. Does he uphold the law when Major Cary of the Confederacy appears to collect Mallory? Or does he find a way to bend the law in the slave’s favor? This critically acclaimed play is based on real historical characters and a real event that ultimately changed the course of American history.

This show is easy to review. Just call it splendid.

– The New York Times