Curtain Up Theater Review by Camille Bounds: “Frost/Nixon” is an intense game between the media and a former president

Published on GilroyLife.com on January 26, 2019

Photo courtesy Kevin Berne/TheatreWorks Silicon Valley * David Frost (played by Jeremy Webb, left) interviews disgraced former President Richard Nixon (Allen McCullough) in “Frost/Nixon” at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley

For an evening of excellent, fine, well-timed drama with performances you won’t soon forget, a trip to TheatreWorks in Mountain View to watch the play “Frost/Nixon” will be well worth your time.

Leslie Martinson directs this tense political moment in history to the ultimate heights with a cast that delivers the utmost possible in the field of theatre. Allen McCullough as Richard Nixon and Jeremy Webb as Frost combat in a fine verbally choreographed duel by award-winning playwright Peter Morgan. The story intermingles of the tragedy of Watergate that journeys down the roads of the past and present, sometime apart and sometime together showing and at times an astute Nixon and a probing Frost. Morgan also penned the 2008 “Frost/Nixon” movie.

The play takes us to 1977 about three years after Nixon resigned his presidency to avoid impeachment in 1974. It focuses on arranging a series of televised interviews that David Frost, a British talk show host, arranged hoping to get Nixon on TV to admit his errors and offer an apology. Another goal is raise Frosts’ credibility in the talk show field..

The clever sets by Scenic and Media designer David Lee Cuthbert moves the audience to various areas, and the projected background on various TV screens brings the historical moments close and transparent. A solid strong supporting cast representing the media, agents, camera crew, Nixon’s chief of staff and editors for Frost and Nixon are well appointed and keep the whys and wherefores clear and reasonable.

Casting Director Jeffrey Lo has gathered an outstanding perfectly cast group of actors. Sound and lighting by Gregory Robinson and Steven B. Mannshardt add to this fine production.

“Frost/Nixon” is fine a theatre experience that will stimulate an interesting talk afterwards on the costs to the public when the media interplays with the presidency.

Camille Bounds is the Theatre and Arts correspondent for Morgan Hill and Gilroy Life.

DETAILS:

Play “Frost/Nixon”

Where: Mountain View Center For The Performing Arts, 500 Castro Street, Mountain View

Through Feb 10

Running time 1 hour and 45 minutes – no intermission

Tickets: $40-$100

Information and reservations (650) 463-1960 or visit www.theatreworks.org