THEATER REVIEW: THE TEMPERAMENTALS

Dennis Christopher, Erich Bergen and John Tartaglia of The Temperamentals. Photo Credit: Matthew Graber. 

Hooray for Hay

By Ed Rampell

Hard on the heels of its rollicking revival of Marc Blitzstein’s proletarian theater classic, The Cradle Will Rock, the Blank Theatre Company is presenting the West Coast premiere of a bio-play about Harry Hay, a card carrying member of -- gasp! -- the Communist Party U.S.A. and a founder of the Mattachine Society.

Jon Marans’ The Temperamentals unabashedly tackles the topic of Harry Hay’s C.P.U.S.A. membership as well as that other grand American taboo and obsession: homosexuality. The five-actors, two-act, largely L.A.-based drama is called The Temperamentals primarily because, believe it or not, this was an old fashioned code word for gay people. (What do you call homophobes? The “mentals”?) Its fact-based plot reveals that long before 1969’s Stonewall Riots, which are widely credited with kicking off the gay liberation movement, Hays (Dennis Christopher) co-founded the pro-gay Mattachine Society in 1950 with his then lover, Rudi Gernreich (Erich Bergen). Other original Mattachine members included Chuck Rowland (Mark Shunock), Bob Hull (John Tartaglia) and Dale Jennings (Patrick Scott Lewis).

The ensemble cast is well-directed by Michael Matthews, eliciting worthy performances from each thesp. As Hay, who is the play’s epicenter, Christopher delivers a convincing portrayal of a conflicted married man grappling with his own identity who finally comes -- rather boyishly, buoyantly and flamboyantly -- out of the closet, colorful shawls and all. Lighting designer Cameron Zetty and scenic designer Kurt Boetcher enhance the Blank’s diminutive space with moody, gritty chiaroscuro and a loft-like stage that makes good use of a staircase connecting to an upstairs set.

Among other things, The Temperamentals is an entertaining history lesson. In a multiple role, Shunock also portrays director Vincente Minnelli (Meet Me in St. Louis; Gigi), supportive of the gay libbers’ aspirations, but too timid to publicly come out. The 1948 third party presidential candidacy of Henry Wallace is also depicted. There’s a homophobic court case that reminded me of Wilde Oscar’s 1895 sodomy and gross indecency trial. Intriguingly, Hays’ amicable parting of the ways with a sorry to see him go Communist Party – which then had a no-gays-need-apply policy -- is also portrayed.

From a philosophical point of view, The Temperamentals’ most noteworthy aspect is to remind us of the link between sexual revolution and the radical left. Marx and Engels were critical of marriage as a bourgeois institution, even as a form of prostitution, and Marxists such as psychologist Wilhelm Reich (whom I owe a personal debt to -- my first lover’s parents were Reichians) and Bolshevik Alexandra Kollantai advocated sexual, as well as economic, revolution. Drawing upon Marxist formulations, Hay postulated that gays are an “oppressed minority.” The personal can be political, and when it comes to relationships, one size doesn’t fit all (the divorce rate is proof positive of that). One wonders what the Mattachine founders would make of today’s gay marriage, which may remain controversial in 2011, but probably was undreamt of 60 years ago.

The Temperamentals does theatergoers, members of the LGBT community and leftists a great favor by reminding us of these historical figures during a simply illuminating, uplifting night at the people’s theater. 

The Temperamentals runs through May 22 at the 2^nd Stage Theatre, 6500 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, CA, 90038.  For more information: 323/661-9827; The Temperamentals.