Review: THE DEFEAT OF JESSE JAMES at History Theatre

When someone says the name Jesse James, it most likely conjures images of a famous outlaw who hunted down Union soldiers, sought to forge his own path and, in the process, tormented banks across the country. It may, also, be safe to say that some would see an image of Brad Pitt dressed in brown leather with a fringe jacket as he walks through a wheat field, as he played the well known outlaw in a highly regarded Hollywood film.

Enter The History Theatre, continuing to focus on telling Minnesota stories to a Minnesota audience, with the hope of not only entertaining but also educating in the process. Telling the full story of Jesse James' life, they build to the infamous (attempted) bank robbery of The First National Bank on September 7, 1876 in Northfield, MN, where James is forced to retreat and come to terms with his defeat.

The Defeat of Jesse James, has been crafted as a farewell tour of the Jesse James Band. Giving James the ability to tell his own story, through rock ballads and asides, he draws the audience into his world of mayhem and murder. Often bringing on "guest artists" to assist in telling the events of his life, some of which James wasn't even present for.

Fans of book writer, Jeffrey Hatcher, and music and lyricist, Chan Poling, known for their musical, Glensheen, may be going into this production with high expectations and to those individuals, rest easy. They have created an exciting and engaging two hour production that is sure to become another fan favorite.

Seeming to take inspiration from the success of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, where our protagonist takes the spotlight in a concert setting. While Hatcher and Poling put Jesse James front and center for most of this show, the surrounding cast of characters certainly get their time in the spotlight almost just as much. Giving the audience enough time to try to understand these characters and decide for ourselves, if there really is a villain to their story.

Taking center stage as Jesse James is Adam Qualls. From the first introduction, Qualls exudes James' longing and want to be accepted and celebrated with ease. It is near impossible to not root for him in between his acts of violence and robbery because of his deep seeded want to be the greatest bank robber (rockstar) who ever lived.

Qualls' talents are only rivaled by....well everyone else within the cast. It is always a delight to view a production where the entire cast shines and is running on all cylinders. Angela Timberman is a hoot as Mama Zerelda, Suzie Juul is breaks hearts as Zee, and Sasha Andreev and Jen Burleigh-Bentz deliver a showstopper worthy of a standing ovation in act two. A special shoutout to James Ramlet, who is a triumph as an entire slew of supporting characters.

History Theatre has crafted a stage production that is sure to keep audiences coming back to the theatre. And it will hopefully inspire other theatres around the Twin Cities to create original works because it is the originality and "freshness" that truly makes The Defeat of Jesse James worth the price of admission.