In a riveting, contemporary exploration of identity and religion, “Disgraced” written by Ayad Akhtar and brilliantly directed by Kimberly Senior at the Mark Taper Forum, follows a married couple living in Upper East Side Manhattan. Amir is a corporate lawyer and Emily an artist, and though Amir was raised Muslim, he has left that faith behind while Emily now focuses her attention on the forgotten world and beauty of Islamic art.
In an effort to assist in advancing his wife’s career, Amir reaches out to a Rory, a fellow high-powered attorney in the firm whose husband Issac owns an art gallery in Manhattan. With Amir being born a Muslim, Rory African-American and Issac Jewish, each represents a minority group in America with strong opinions on their rightful place here and in the world.
All seems to be going well for everyone involved until Amir and Emily host a small dinner party for the two couples, hoping Issac has decided to feature Emily’s paintings in his new exhibit.
But soon, before anyone can stop it, polite protocol is abandoned, alcohol is overly consumed, and the talk turns to religion, politics and sex in the wake of 9/11. Truths are revealed, secrets divulged, and ultimately almost every relationship is destroyed after their night of drinking leads to reactions no one expected, least of all the audience who may find themselves switching from side to side during the heated discussions.
The turbulent drama is especially thought-provoking now, given the on-going discussions of racial profiling against those of Middle Eastern descent, especially at airports. Is it fair to treat everyone who fits the profile description as a possible terrorist without knowing them personally? Or are all of them just good liars and worthy of suspicion? Whatever thoughts you have on the subject, be prepared to take a hard look at both sides of every argument – and ultimately be proven wrong.
For as much as Amir denies the practices of the religion in which he was raised, he admits in taking some pride in how the Muslim world showed their ability to overtake the most powerful country on the planet. As it is now, that was not a popular opinion in the wake of 9/11, a fact soon learned by Amir’s nephew who now dresses to identify himself as Muslim, went back to his original ethnic name, and has raised fear in the mind of an American barista at Starbucks. An investigation and threated deportation by the FBI soon follows.
And of course by this time, Amir has been fired from the firm when it is discovered how much of his background was fabricated when he originally applied for the position and identified as a Muslim and possible terrorist defender. Now seen as duplicitous by the firm as well as his friends, and especially his wife after his brutal attack when she dared to keep a relationship-ending secret from him, Amir is a lost man in every way.
All five actors are remarkable in every aspect of their roles, especially Hari Dhillon and Emily Swallow as Amir and Emily, a couple you really would love to have as friends at the beginning of the play since their intelligence is admirable and their lifestyle enviable. Their descent into a very physical break-up is shocking in its fury and violence, played by the two actors with so much truthful conviction the scene is very difficult to watch amid the gasps from the audience.
J. Anthony Crane and Karen Pittman portray Issac and Jory as a mismatched couple with she more in charge and he the dreamer always being put in his place by calling him on his fabrications. Their struggle to assert authority in their own worlds as well as with each other is palpable and utterly transparent, all the while fascinating to behold.
The fifth character, Amir’s nephew Abe, aka Hussein, is played by Behzad Dabu first as an acclimated Muslim-American before 9/11 changes him back into the devoutly open Muslim no longer in hiding and proud of his heritage. It’s no wonder his strength of character as portrayed by Dabu could frighten anyone into believing he was a terrorist post-9/11.
Technical credits are solid throughout from John Lee Beatty’s scenic design, Christime A. Binder’s lighting design, and Jill BD Du Boff’s sound design. The only issue I had with the set design was from the seats far audience left, many were not able to see Emily’s featured painting on the wall of the set, a major scenic element used frequently in the storyline. Costume design by Jennifer von Mayrthauser reflects the cast’s modern upper class lives from Amir’s expensive suits and shirts to the ladies’ knockout dresses and shoes.
Directed by Kimberly Senior, Ayad Akhtar’s 2013 Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Disgraced” continues through July 17 at the Mark Taper Forum, located at the Music Center, 135 N. Grand Avenue in Downtown L.A. Tickets range from $25 – $85, available by calling 213-628-2772 or online at www.CenterTheatreGroup.org.
