Women Today

My son has been studying the 1970s in his high school history class, so when l learned that "Frost/Nixon" was going to be presented at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center in downtown Appleton I knew just who to invite.

For me, Watergate was a vague memory from my childhood. For my son, it was a long-ago piece of history. On Tuesday night, actors Stacy Keach and Alan Cox brought it to life in a way that was thoroughly entertaining.

I didn’t know what to expect when we entered the theater Tuesday night. I thought perhaps we would see a recreation of David Frost’s 1977 interview with President Richard Nixon, with the principal actors having a Q&A session for a few hours. I envisioned us struggling to say awake and perhaps leaving at intermission.

I could not have been more mistaken. Instead of simply recreating the interview, the play delved into all that went into making it come fruition, and made it clear how high the stakes were for both parties.

British talk show host Frost was desperate to prove he could succeed on American television, and almost sacrificed everything he had to get that chance. Nixon wanted a way to remind Americans of his accomplishments and perhaps return to the political scene. Only one could get what he wanted.

The play used supporting characters (Brian Sgambati as one of Frost’s researchers and Ted Koch as a staunch Nixon supporter) to explain exactly how important this moment in history was to both parties. Their asides were used to great effect, as a narrative that tied the scenes together and clarified the historic events, a relief to someone like me whose memory of that era is fuzzy.

The production made successful use of television footage, using it in place of grand sets to set the scene and bring us back in time. My son noted that the sound effects also added the perfect accent when the play transitioned between scenes.

The acting was also a pleasure to watch. Keach as Nixon and Cox as Frost played their characters superbly, capturing mannerisms, speech patterns and motive.

The presentation we saw Tuesday night presented history in a way that was entirely new to me. It was visually engaging, riveting and even humorous. It kept my son and I enthralled for its entire running time of an hour and 45 minutes. My son called it the best play he’s seen at the PAC to date.

Watergate was a low point in American history, but Frost/Nixon turns it into a theatrical highlight that’s well worth seeing.

P.S. See who else enjoyed the show by checking out our Out and About site at http://mywomenmagazine.com/modules/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=727.