Their Finest Hour: Churchill and Murrow
Reviewed by Lara J. Altunian
Write Act Repertory
Through July 22
Perhaps one of the best known historical figures of the 20th century, Winston Churchill has been enjoying some time in the limelight recently with biopics like The Darkest Hour and World War II films such as Dunkirk. Willard Manus’ latest play continues the focus on the British Bulldog with a look at his relationship with American journalist Edward R. Murrow. Rather than honing in on their careers, Their Finest Hour analyzes their interactions during the tumultuous affair Murrow had with Churchill’s daughter-in-law, Pamela Harriman. Though the work provides a new perspective on a less frequently discussed side of history, repetitive scenes bog down the story, which is not weighty enough to carry the plot on its own.
The play begins in January 1940 with Edward Murrow (Tyler Cook)’s BBC broadcast of the UK’s involvement in WWII. A meeting with Prime Minister Winston Churchill (Michael Karm) establishes a friendship between the two, and Churchill grants Murrow press passes and exclusive access to his war strategies. During a quick business meet-up and celebratory drink with subordinate Charles Collingwood (Beau Hogan) at the Churchill Club, Murrow meets Pamela Harriman (Chantelle Albers), who immediately seduces him.
The rest of the drama concentrates on their back-and-forth soap opera–like romance. Their affection blooms from sex into love over the course of the next few years, with only some news and discussion about the war peppered in between. Churchill’s attempts to interfere in their affair for the sake of keeping his family together and avoiding public scandal adds flavor to the narrative. However, it is not long before his work sessions with Murrow purely become vehicles for their debates about the latter’s involvement with Harriman. There are a few instances when the transition occurs more smoothly. One example is a scene in the second act where the USA’s entrance into the war leads to a conversation about the country’s alliance with the UK—a euphemism for marriage, and Murrow and Harriman’s potential holy union. In most scenes however, the topic is brought up randomly, making it seem as though the characters’ personal lives overshadow the urgency of war. Likewise, Murrow and Harriman’s run-ins become so formulaic halfway through the first act that their exchanges about him leaving his wife and her leaving her other lovers continue to take place with no advancement in the plot or dialogue until the very end.
Cook takes on a charming, leading man approach to playing Murrow, who is made to seem like a silver screen movie star. The real-life qualities of honesty and bravery that Murrow was known for are almost entirely glossed over. Instead, Cook’s performance emphasizes the character’s charismatic portrayal as one half of the dream couple he forms with Harriman. Albers is brilliant as the feisty jezebel who is upfront in her pursuit of glamor and money. She has enough gumption to both point out Murrow’s hypocrisy in his lecture on “morality” after she admits to having multiple lovers, and to defend her right to escape her abusive marriage to Churchill’s son when arguing with the Prime Minister himself. Albers’ accent slips from time to time, making her sound more Australian in some scenes than British, but otherwise her character’s firmness makes her appear even stronger than Cook’s Murrow. Karm is uncanny as Churchill. Each speech he delivers is laced with the giant’s strength and dignity. He accurately mirrors the man’s famous mood swings and adds emotional depth to his acting, most notably during his candid war room discussions with Murrow to which he reveals personal familial stories.
Anyone obsessed with history and Churchill himself may appreciate the facts about the war, Karm’s representation and Anne Mesa’s authentic-looking design of the 1940s set. Additionally, Mark Baker’s lighting design, which intermittently illuminates the three sections of the stage between which the story drifts, creatively makes the most of a small space. However, the story’s inability to evolve past the stages of a glorified fling makes the play far from a necessary analysis of their finest hour.
The Brickhouse Theatre, 10950 Peach Grove St., North Hollywood; Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m.; through July 22. (818) 506-3132 or https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3328722. Running time: two hours with one 15-minute intermission.
