Kunstler – White Bear Theatre, Kennington

Reviewer: Christine Stanton

Writer: Jeffrey Sweet 
Director: Meagen Fay

“Engaging Monologues“

3 / 5

Renowned, yet controversial civil rights lawyer and activist William Kunstler believed everyone had a right to a fair trial, especially those who had the odds stacked against them. His big presence and strong views made him a force to be reckoned with in a courthouse – with one of his most famous trials being his defence of the Chicago Seven.  

Kunstler (Jeff McCarthy) arrives on stage on the premise that he is speaking at a University – ready to give a seminar for the budding law students about his work. His talk has caused quite the stir on campus, inciting protests from the students for some of the clients he has represented in the past. Distant chants against Kunstler are woven through and heard throughout the narrative – occasionally gaining in volume and realistically portraying the background noise of the angry students outside of the lecture hall. He’s greeted by student Kerry, who is facilitating the talk – much to her frustration. Although Kerry was initially inspired by Kunstler’s work with prominent figures such as Martin Luther King, his over-familiarity with what she deems as less desirable clients and methods of amplifying defendant’s stories get her back up, but her professionalism prevails as she politely welcome’s Kunstler to the lectern.  

For a little over an hour, Kunstler presents his seminar to the audience – reflecting on his case and providing interesting anecdotes about his life and career. McCarthy is a fantastic speaker – captivating the audience with his strong monologue recital. His relaxed, yet confident demeanour allows the audience to see the type of man Kunstler was through his mannerisms and the cases he had taken on in life. It’s a really interesting insight into the life of the controversial lawyer, but the seminar itself goes on for slightly too long without enough interaction between the two talented actors. While the facts and figures are compelling, it’s a lot of biographical information compiled as a speech, which at points calls for a little bit of variety.  

Throughout the talk, Kerry (Nykila Norman) sits on the edge of the stage, patiently listening to Kunstler’s speech – occasionally subtly reacting to some of his stories and visibly holding down her frustration at his light-hearted approach to some serious subjects. It is a great choice by director Meagen Fay to keep Norman on the stage throughout, but it’s also so disappointing to have such a wonderful actor so underutilised throughout the show! Although she does occasionally assist Kunstler by contributing as a speaker through his pre-prepared court transcripts, her part in the story doesn’t really emerge until the last 30mins of the production, where the speech ends and she can finally have a frank discussion with Kunstler about their opposing views. The pair have fantastic chemistry together, that feels almost wasted by only being showcased as a short burst at the end of the performance. Their discussion is energising and exciting, their views sparking intriguing opinions and forcing the audiences themselves to reflect on the arguments they both present to eachother. But, as soon as it feels as though the discussions are getting somewhere, they finish the conversation and part ways – causing the previous conversation to politely fizzle out, and the show to end.  

Having two fantastic actors is always a huge positive in a production – bringing the writing to life with strong performances and excellent characterisations. In this instance, it would be wonderful if we could see more of the pair, but for a show focusing on the life and career of Kunstler, it does a great job of detailing his work and viewpoints in a simple, yet effective way.  

Runs Until 18 May 2024