Review: ‘O Jerusalem’ @ Chandler Studio Theatre

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In late career, playwright A.R. Gurney has ventured beyond his signature polite studies of neurotic New England WASPs into more politically charged territory, a transition very much in evidence in ‘O Jerusalem’ at NoHo’s Chandler Studio Theatre.

Exploring the complexities of the Arab-Israeli conflict and the root causes of terrorism, Gurney’s 2003 drama advocates understanding over judgment. Jerusalem looms as ‘more than a geographical place — it’s a personal thing,’ as Gurney humanizes controversy through the odyssey of Hartwell Clark (Don Schlossman), an oil executive appointed to a low-level diplomatic post in the Middle East. In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, Clark develops a conscience and becomes an ardent crusader against the misguided policies of the Bush administration.

In other words, it’s fiction. But it’s fiction with a well-intentioned heart, as Tiger Reel’s earnest staging makes clear. Schlossman’s good-natured, Everyman appeal is nicely balanced by Lauren Campedelli’s sharply drawn turn as Amira, Clark’s college lover who reenters his life as a voice of moderation from the political wing of the Palestinian movement. When her dire warnings about an impending terrorist attack on the U.S. go unheeded, Clark begins to blame himself for failing to press the point. In an admittedly far-fetched conceit, his self-reflection ultimately leads Clark to write a world-changing manifesto decrying neglect and hypocrisy on all sides.

As in so many issue-oriented dramas, character nuance and believability take a back seat to heavy-handed polemics, but the cast manages to make the best of these constraints. Gretchen Koerner brings particular sympathy to a State Department official who promotes emotional detachment through Brechtian narration and plot deconstruction, in a play-within-a-play conceit that’s way too clever for its own good.

-- Philip Brandes

‘O Jerusalem,’ Chandler Studio Theatre, 12443 Chandler Blvd., North Hollywood. 8 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays. Ends Dec. 21. $25. (310) 880-1016. Running time: 1 hour, 35 minutes.

Caption: Hartwell Clark (Don Schlossman) and Amira (Lauren Campedelli) rekindle old flames.