Kate
Fodor scores
quite a coup with her first play, the 2004 "Hannah and Martin," especially as staged by San
Jose Repertory Theatre. It's an intriguing exploration of the relationship between two
leading 20th century German philosophers, Hannah Arendt (Stacy Ross) and Martin Heidegger (Robert
Krakovski).
They
meet at Marburg University during the '20s when she is a student and he a
professor. He becomes her mentor, then her lover even though he's married and
has two sons. He then encourages her to go to Heidelberg University to study
under his friend Karl Jaspers (Dan Hiatt). In the meantime, she marries a fellow student,
the ebullient Gunther Stern (Reese Madigan), and begins a successful career as a teacher and
writer. Over time, Martin and his wife, Elfride (Nancy Carlin), become involved with the
National Socialist Party (Nazis), while Hannah, a Jew, flees the country.
The
play tends to shift back and forth in time, starting after World War II when
Hannah returns to Germany to write about the Nuremberg trials, specifically
Hitler Youth leader Baldur Von Schirach (Madigan), who is accused of training
German children to become Nazi soldiers. She also is writing to Freiburg
University to request that the disgraced Martin be allowed to return to
teaching there.
Fodor
poses numerous questions without providing clear-cut answers about why Hannah
would try to help Martin despite what he did during the war (removing all Jews
from the faculty, denying Jaspers the right to use the university's library
because Jaspers' wife is Jewish). She and Martin also argue about freedom of
information, with Hannah advocating free exchange of ideas and Martin promoting
the perfection of German culture, including Richard Wagner.
It's
a fascinating production that's skillfully directed by David Schweizer. Alexander V. Nichols' stark set, with its catwalks
and studio lights, allows for the back-and-forth nature of the action. Likewise
B Modern's
costumes reflect those changes. David Lee Cuthbert's lighting design is effective,
especially in the post-war confrontation between Hannah and the ailing Martin
in the kitchen of his home. The sound design is by Mitch Greenhill, who also composed recorded
music played by cellist Joan Jeanrenaud.
At
the heart of this production, though, is Ross' riveting performance as Hannah,
who easily transforms herself from naive but bright young student to enthralled
lover to confident intellectual and teacher. Krakovski also is excellent as the
self-confident Martin who is finally seen as a broken, ailing man after the
war. The versatile Hiatt portrays not only Professor Jaspers but also a
prosecutor and a journalist at Nuremberg. Likewise, Carlin portrays both
Martin's wife and Jaspers' wife, and Madigan does well in his double duty as
Gunther and Von Schirach. Completing the cast is Lizzie Calogero as Alice, Hannah's student
secretary, who refuses to type Hannah's letter supporting Martin after the war.