The Tenth Man by Paddy Chayefsky
The Herndon Times Review
THEATER
Looking for 'The Tenth Man'
By Michael Birchenall
Weekender Theater Critic
Weekender Section, Page 13, continued on Page 16
TIMES COMMUNITY
NEWSPAPER (The Herndon Times)
Wednesday, March 29, 2000
Elden Street Players looked to celebrated playwright and author Paddy Chayefsky for his
1959 "The Tenth Man" in their current stage production at the Industrial
Strength Theatre in Herndon. Here we find a story about a core group of five
immigrant elderly Jews who hold their regular prayer sessions in an Orthodox synagogue in
Mineola on Long Island in the late 1950's. The men along with the rabbi and Sexton
are always looking for a 10th man to make the minyan -- necessary for the morning
prayer session to take place. The search brings us the play's title and its energy.
Director Emme Lundeen Fallen is enthralled with the story of the significance of the
struggle by these men and their relationship to a modern American world. None of the
men assembled by the director convincingly portrays the immigrant side of the tale --
there is no anguish conveyed for the "terror" of their past European lives.
What Fallen is able to bring forth convincingly is the values of these men and
their ongoing effort to reconcile the contradictions of their daily lives with an ongoing
lifetime study of the Torah. She grew up in Jewish neighborhoods that relfected the
story's internal dilemma and her genuine affinity for the culture makes the show work as
an "act of faith."
Key interpretation fo the American Jewish themes come from the elder men led by
Hirschman/Cabalist, played by Herb Rothenberg. The actor succeeds in bringing his
devotion and faith to the forefront during a scene featuring a convincing absolution of
his past thereby bringing about a religious saving experience. Rothenberg is steady;
Rothenberg stays at the ready for the play's entirety.
Bernard Engel delivers the strongest voice of the group with his superb reading of
Alper. Engel is the leader on stage, never failing to mke sure scenes didn't
dissolve into meaningless monologues. The audience could hold on to Engel to guide
us through the drearier moments. Another steady beacon that gave the production its
light to continue toward its resolution was that of Mike Steele playing Sexton. His
search for the 10th man made for amusement that created a steady thread of humor through
the play. Steele gave the audience continuous reasons to smile as the story moved
through its search for matters of faith.
Every character actor (the good ones) longs for the roles like Stan Bennett's Harris.
Bennett plays one of the men who is talked into coming into the synagogue to make a
10th. Harris is concerned about the cold New York weather and bundles up in layers
to make the neighborhood trek. Bennet captivates the audience with his duel with
these layers as he manages to get the clothes back on for the trip home. Acted out
with all the subtle nuances that charm and endear, Bennett wins over the audience when
they are trying to find something to believe in.
Laura Russell gives a good interpretation of the woman possessed by the dybbuk, a
wandering spirit. She moves smoothly in and out of the possession with clarity of
the evil within and control as she struggles with realities. Brad Tresek as Arthur
always appears tentative in his role as a confused soul who has wandered into the
synagogue. His soft delivery prevents the play from winning us over with redemption
at the end.
Set design by Jay Bradley was outstanding with its corner elevated rabbi's office,
opposite entrance to the synagogue and the interior itself. It all made sense and
advanced the plot efficiently. Sound design by Emme Fallen and Les Zidel was
flawless -- the best I have heard this season. The background chants of Zen Ziona
Cohen from "Hebrew Chant" were an important addition to the background realism.
"The Tenth Man" is a complex examination of faith that is bound with
humor that makes it easier to tolerate the difficult. The Elden Street Players take
us on a journey that reaffirms finding love in an act of faith.
© Copyright 2000 Times Community Newspapers
