Review: ASSASSINS at Oakland Theatre Project

I admit I’ve never seen Stephen Sondhiem’s Assassins, nor ever heard the score or read the synopsis. A flop in 1990, the 2004 revival won five Tony awards, and it’s been in theatre rotations since, often causing controversy for its raw language and unsavory content. A play from the perspectives of infamous assassins? What could it offer and why? Oakland Theatre Project knows the why now and this production, imagined as a one-man musical, is pretty brilliant combining outstanding direction by Weston Scott and a career-defining performance by Adam KuveNiemann.

Brilliantly staged on a bare stage, KuveNiemann flies through a wide range of emotions as he inhabits the frustrated characters Sondheim presents. He moves from anger, hatred of the upper classes, warped idealism, misdirected optimism, delusion, and fear. Like Eddie Izzard’s Hamlet or Sarah Snook’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, the risk is putting all your eggs in one basket. If you lose the audience for just one moment, you can fail miserably. KuveNiemann succeeds at every turn, every shift to a new character, his face and body, a canvas on which Weston paints the picture of why these people attempted their devious actions.

We don’t empathize with these villians – Sondheim’s songs and Weidman’s story strangely mocks their intentions and motivations while revealing a dark side of the American Dream that creates an endless cadre of miscreants. John Wilkes Booth thought he was avenging the South, killing a tyrant. Charles Guiteau kills President Garfield for his own failed ambitions, misguided radical Leon Czologosz assassinates McKinley and Lee Harvey Oswald kills Kennedy to gain a respect he never received in life.

The score, without any memorable Sondheim gems, is still witty and satirically dark. “The Gun Song” is a commentary on gun violence, not a glorification of it. "Another National Anthem" has all the characters bemoaning their unrealized motivations and asking, “where is their prize.” In the wildest number, "Everybody's Got the Right", you can solve all your problems by just killing a President. Like Sweeney Todd, it’s Sondheim at his most controversial.

Weston has KuveNiemann utilize props in fantastic ways: microphone stands, mirrors, tape and video recorders, a laptop and a moveable ladder keep the audience enthralled. Sarah Phykit’s projections and Lane Sander’s sound design is creative and add to the overall storylines. Adam sings "Unworthy of Your Love" as both John Hinckley and Squeaky Fromme singing to their larger-than-life images of Jodie Foster and Charles Manson, respectively. It’s a great touch among the many stunning staging effects.

Assassins, like many of Sondheim’s musicals, takes a level of intelligence by the audience. It challenges us to understand our checkered history and dark side illuminating a chance at understanding. KuveNiemann is a local powerhouse with an extensive and impressive resume having collaborated with Weston previously on a two-man musical about the assassination of JFK. They have a winner here, and although its only late March, this may be the best play and performance of the year.

Assassins continues through April 5th. For Tickets contact the Box Office at 510.646.1126 or boxoffice@oaklandtheaterproject.org

Photo credits: Ben Krantz Studio

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