REVIEW: The Inheritance (Round House Theatre)
What do you leave behind for future generations? Or, what was it that was left for you? In The Inheritance, those are the central questions that Matthew López throws at you. Inspired by E.M. Forester’s Howards End, López’s marathon two-parter finally makes its regional premiere at Round House in Bethesda. Beautifully staged, smartly acted, and powerfully delivered, Tom Story’s production of this acclaimed work is epic in every sense of the word.
Book
The production is two separate plays, each about three and a half hours long. Part 1 and Part 2 are being reviewed in tandem.
Howards End is a major source of inspiration, but in many ways, this is a direct retelling. The play opens obtusely: we’re placed in a bare room with a collection of gay men, all scribbling away in their notebooks, an acted memento of the book’s famed “One may as well begin…” opener. This gets the ball rolling for Part 1, which takes a bit of time to hone its actual narrative focus. However, I don’t consider this a bad choice. It directs the audience as willing participants in this story by merely viewing it, locking the attention in via snappy, colorful dialogue. Forester himself appears as a quasi-narrator (known as Morgan), his soothing British accent pushing the plot along, lulling us into introducing the central couple of Eric and Toby. Eric is generationally wealthy and high-strung, living in his late grandmother’s swanky Manhattan apartment. Toby, his long-term boyfriend, is a facetious and vain author. The bulk of Part 1 explores this relationship and their radiating friendships, and establishes their baseline politics and life experiences as of 2015. When Toby starts having career successes, each embrace their personas with greater intensity. This reaches a head with the introduction of Adam, a silver-spooned actor seeking his first role. The friendship of Adam introduces complexities about wealth and desire that persist through the entire play in ways I won’t fully reveal, but I found clever thanks to the stellar casting. In the meantime, the audience is also introduced the neighboring relationship of Henry and Walter, Elder Gays(TM) who are among the few who lived to make it through the early decades of AIDS. Henry is a billionaire, often away on business, so Walter and Eric develop a friendship that sets the stage for the remaining five hours of the seven-ish-hour piece. Part 1 culminates in one of the most stunning endings of any play ever — one that is a guaranteed tearjerker that decimates the heartstrings. In fact, this is part of why I prefer the first part; Part 2 decidedly expands upon the dialectical struggles between the group, eliminating the ideas that queerness is a monolith. Henry becomes a far more important character; an incredibly smartly written one, at that, as the market-oriented capitalist that serves as a brilliantly composed foil to the other, Obama-liberal gays. However, whatever bright optimism acertained in Part 1 feels like a long-forgotten memory compared to Part 2’s much darker, and Toby-oriented, vibe. It meanders a little, ultimately ending with less of a gut-punch than the first part, but does enough service to the characters to feel like a satisfactory approach. I would absolutely recommend seeing both parts to gather the full story — and the full analysis of what we inherit, and what we leave for the future — but if you were to forced to pick one part, Part 1 left a greater impact on me, one that I’m still reeling from. 10/10
Acting
Despite the sheer size of this ensemble, thanks to its runtime, the production is able to hyperfocus on characters and allow performers to showcase their skill. The dual role of Leo and Adam is terrifically split by Jordi Ramirez. Additionally, David Gow’s Eric is tenderly driven, an excellent contrast to the rash miscreancy of Adam Poss’ Toby. Their sour dynamic is beautifully paralleled by that of Henry (Robert Gant) and Walter (Robert Sella). Both incredibly intelligent performances, the tension on their shoulders carrying the trauma of the AIDS crisis is apparent in every motion and line delivered. Nancy Robinette — who is only in the show for the final 20 minutes — makes such an immediate mark on the production that it cannot be overstated, as a vivid connection to the families and allies of queer people. Despite these positives, I found the diversity of bodies lacking. The casting indicates a focus on the experience of thin, mostly white, gayness (save for a stray monologue here and there). Toby’s casting as a man of color assuredly adds a layer of background to his appearance, which could have also been applied to the huge array of supporting characters who never have specific backgrounds. 9/10
Production
The ethereal staging by Lee Savage is sparse, but its dreamlike visages are wistfully composed under a giant cherry tree branch that always feels relevant. Colin Bills’ lighting can feel too direct at times, but there are enough moments of magic to make up for it, particularly in Part 2. The projections by Kelly Colburn are cleverly timed and designed, culminating in the walloping ending of Part 1. 8/10
Viz
There’s a lot of emphasis on the cherry tree. The key art with lots of human silhouettes? There. The pre-show? There (along with a projection of the title). I was wondering how long it would be in the show before its relevance was apparent, but thankfully it’s fairly quick, and it only becomes more poignant as the show unfolds. 8/10
Verdict
Round House pulls together a must-see regional debut for one of the best plays of the century so far, an opus of excellent scale, storytelling, and importance. 35/40
