Theater Review: Indecent

ST PETERSBURG — On Friday, American Stage's production of Paula Vogel's 2015 Tony-Award-winning play Indecent opened to a full house in downtown St. Pete.

In a play-within-a-play format that is augmented by a songbook, Vogel brings to life the controversy surrounding Sholom Asch's God of Vengence. Written in 1906, that play tells the story of a Jewish brothel owner who attempts to improve his status by commissioning a Torah scroll and marrying his daughter to a yeshiva student. Set in a brothel, it is best known for featuring an onstage kiss between two women.

After an early run in the United States, God of Vengence was translated to English in 1918 and later became infamous for featuring the first-ever lesbian kiss on a Broadway stage. On March 6, 1923, the entire cast, producer, and one of the Apollo Theater's owners were indicted and later convicted on charges that they had violated New York obscenity laws. One hundred years later, Indecent was deemed controversial enough that a Florida High School canceled a scheduled production earlier this year. Of course, the fact that it was the "Free State of Florida" that canceled a modern play about the censorship of a more than century-old play is almost free of irony at this point.

Vogel does a downright masterful job of conveying the desperation of the times while creating uniquely vivid, multidimensional characters—all the more impressive given the size of the cast that is required by the story. She also uses the not-uncommon play-within-a-play device more effectively than I can ever recall seeing it employed, so much so that theatergoers are likely to leave feeling as though they have indeed taken in two plays in one evening.

To make the play scaleable in terms of production, the many characters are divided between a cast of nine, which can present a challenge for both the actors and the audience. However, American Stage's production is cast well enough to largely shrug off such demands.

Michael Raver and Emma Friedman

There are many standout performances among the stellar cast members. Emma Friedman and Josephine Phoenix soar as Chan and Halina, the actresses at the heart of God of Vengence. Cynthia Beckert returns to American Stage to give another masterful turn in multiple roles. However, it was Michael Raver who was the clear audience favorite at the curtain call after managing to steal scene after scene in his deeply poignant portrayal of Lemml, the character who is undoubtedly the heart of the story.

Indecent is a powerful theatrical experience that speaks to the necessity of freedom within art, especially if it is to be an instrument of beneficial social change. At around 110 minutes with no intermission, the production runs through Oct. 29. Visit the American Stage website for ticket and schedule information.

Dennis "Mitch" Maley is an editor and columnist for The Bradenton Times and the host of our weekly podcast. With over two decades of experience as a journalist, he has covered Manatee County government since 2010. He is a graduate of Shippensburg University and later served as a Captain in the U.S. Army. Click here for his bio. His 2016 short story collection, Casting Shadows, was recently reissued and is available here.