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Churchill
by Dorothy Marcic A play brightened by the performance of its writer Ronald Keaton, who confidently inhabits the spirit of the leader who stood alone against the Nazis during the early years of WWII replete with his vibrant oratory. As a History Lesson, Churchill, which opened at the New World Stages Wed. Nov. 18, is a pleasant evening, a play brightened by the performance of its writer Ronald Keaton, who confidently inhabits the spirit of the leader who stood alone against the Nazis during the early years of WWII. It’s an entertaining play with lots of stories about Churchill and his political career, his experiences in the war, about his stalwart marriage with Clementine, and it’s a play with good lighting that accentuates emotional shifts (except for one time when it looked like flashlights were lit from below Keaton’s chin) and a set that takes us right back in time to Britain in the early 1900’s. In true Off-Broadway spirit, both lighting and set design were done by one of the producers, Jason Epperson. The costume, by some unlisted person on the team, is an appropriately rumpled suit, and there is competent direction by Kurt Johns that kept the audience attentive. Perhaps the most delicious were the wonderful projections by Paul Diezel, with haunting photos of Clementine Churchill, of Charles De Gaulle, as well as outdoor scenes. A favorite was snow falling so delicately it was hard to take one’s eyes away. All-in-all, very well-done. There are many aspects to Churchill. He was not a good student, but he aced an exam about New Zealand, about which he happened to have immense knowledge. “It was like breaking the bank at Monte Carlo,” he said. As Commander-in-Chief, he came up with the idea of an armored tank in WWI and saw the need for a Jewish Homeland decades before the world agreed. He struggled for, and never achieved approval from his father, Lord Randolph Churchill. And he was a master of language. “I love words!” he declared. And what about those words? Many people will smile when they hear some of the famous quotes, such as "It is always exhilarating to be shot at without result" or when a woman said she did not like his politics or his mustache, to which he replied, “Don’t distress yourself, dear lady, you’re not very likely to come in contact with either,” or when Lady Astor was upset with his ideas and said if he were her husband, she would poison his coffee. His response? “If I were your husband, Nancy, I’d damn well drink it.” And then there was George Bernard Shaw, who invited Churchill to his new play with, “Winston, I’d like to offer you two tickets to the opening of my new play. You can bring a friend—if you have one.” Not to be outdone, Churchill sent back this: “GBS, I do have prior engagement that evening. But I am happy to attend your second, night—if there is one.” What was unfortunately lacking was the subtext of Churchill’s life, the effect on him of the nervous breakdowns and alcoholism of his children, his own legendary struggles with bi-polar disorder. Though his “Black Dog” was briefly mentioned, almost in passing, it surely had great impact on him as a human being and as a leader. And yet, it’s hard not to admire the leader who famously told General Eisenhower right before the invasion at Normandy, "I am in this with you to the end, sir. And if it fails, we shall go down together." New
World Stages 
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