Disgraced

Reviewed by Neal Weaver
The Mark Taper Forum
Through July 17

RECOMMENDED

Because of the confluence of events surrounding the American presidential election — including Donald Trump’s provocative and unconstitutional attempts to ban all Muslims from entering the U.S., the mass shootings in Orlando, and the heated debate about how to deal with Muslim terrorists, Ayad Akhtar’s Pulitzer-Prize-winning Disgraced seems even more relevant than when it was written.

The central figure in Akhtar’s play is Amir (Hari Dhillon), an apostate Muslim who is employed by a prestigious American law firm. He has turned his back on all things Muslim, and worked to conceal his Islamic origins. And his young nephew (Behzad Dabu) has tried even harder to embrace the American lifestyle, legally changing his name to Abe Jensen. Amir is married to Emily (Emily Swallow), an American painter, whose studies of art history have given her a profound appreciation for Islamic art, and led her to adopt a pro-Islamic point of view. She has embraced the cause of an Imam, who has been accused of raising funds for Jihadists, and is now facing trial. She’s convinced of the cleric’s innocence and wants Amir to join his defense team. Amir wants nothing to do with the case, but finally Emily persuades him to do it for her.

A newspaper account of the trial refers to Amir as a member of the defense team and includes the name of his firm, ruffling the feathers of its senior partners, and leaving Amir open to interrogation.

Things come to a violent head when Emily and Amir throw a dinner party for their Jewish friend Isaac (J. Anthony Crane) and his African-American wife Jory (Karen Pittman), who is also employed at Amir’s firm. It begins as a friendly genteel social occasion, despite some humorous Jewish-Muslim sparring, but as revelations unfold it appears that Amir has been fired and Jory has been given the partnership Amir had expected to come to him, since he had been with the firm longer, and worked harder. Amir reacts with rage, shouting “I’m the Nigger here!” Jory is infuriated, and the fat is in the fire. It also emerges that Isaac has been harboring a secret romantic interest in Emily. By the end of the evening, both marriages are in jeopardy, Emily is riddled with guilt that her good intentions have cost Amir his career, and things erupt in violence.

Meanwhile, evidence has emerged suggesting that the Imam was indeed funding Jihadists, and because Abe was friendly with him, he’s been rigorously and insultingly interrogated by the FBI. His Muslim feelings are activated, and his awareness of Muslim oppression and American cultural hegemony are fully aroused. He has been radicalized.

Akhtar is a deft and clever writer, with the ability to look at all sides of the situation, and in the climactic dinner party scene, he reveals just how volatile, emotional and deeply rooted the issues are. Kimberly Senior, who has directed several of the many productions of the play around the country, gives it a fine and loving rendition, and the cast is terrific, offering spot on performances.

The Mark Taper Forum, at the Music Center, 135 N. Grand Avenue, downtown. Tues.-Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., 2:30 & 8 p.m.; Sun., 1 & 6:30 p.m. (213) 628-2772 or www.CenterTheatreGroup.org. Running time: One hour and 20 minutes.