Aaron Sorkin’s 1989 military courtroom drama A Few Good Men returned to Broadway on Thursday night at Lincoln Center Theater’s Vivian Beaumont Theater, opening to mixed reviews.
Broadway Revival Opens at Lincoln Center
The production brings Sorkin’s script to a 1,000-plus-seat auditorium. Michael Arden directs.
Dane Laffrey designed the scenery. The creative team used the full depth of the stage.
They added looming beams and a guard tower. This design evokes Guantánamo Bay.
That volume swallows the rapid-fire banter. Reviewers say the dialogue sounds quiet and tinny.
The play follows Navy Lieutenant junior grade Daniel Kaffee. He is a cocky and inexperienced lawyer.
He defends two young Marines. They are accused of murdering Private William Santiago after a hazing-like code red
order.
Kaffee works alongside internal affairs attorney Joanne Galloway and co-counsel Sam Weinberg.
He exposes a secretive military hierarchy. He reveals an illegal chain of command.
Critics note that watching the story in such a vast setting robs the courtroom drama of its necessary claustrophobia and pressure.
Tom Blyth and Bradley Whitford Lead the Cast
Tom Blyth plays Daniel Kaffee. He is a 31-year-old actor known for a prequel in The Hunger Games franchise. Tom Cruise played the role on film.
Blyth brings a natural charisma and golden-boy strut to the stage. Reviewers observed that he struggles to convincingly convey Kaffee’s legal acumen and legal cunning.
Krysta Rodriguez plays Joanne Galloway. Nick Blaemire plays Lieutenant Sam Weinberg.
The defense trio encounters pacing hurdles. Sorkin’s fast-talking dialogue stumbles through the cavernous space.
Bradley Whitford takes on the role of Colonel Nathan Jessep. He is an alumnus of Sorkin’s television series The West Wing.
Jessep is the hardened base commander. Jack Nicholson famously portrayed him in the 1992 Oscar-nominated film adaptation directed by Rob Reiner.
Whitford brings an innate understanding of Sorkin’s rhythm. His physical portrayal of the intimidating commander drew mixed responses.
Johnny Oleksinski of the New York Post wrote that the imposing Whitford innately understands the writer’s pace, smart-aleck humor and curious knack for crafting jackasses, as well he should.
Critics argued that Whitford’s performance felt unfocused and strained. He did not radiate an imperious, menacing presence.
His interpretation occasionally leaned into a creaky impression. Actors reportedly struggled with lines during opening performances in the climactic trial scenes.
Stalwart Traditionalism Meets Political Reality
Reviewers questioned whether Sorkin’s faith in institutional integrity can resonate with modern audiences. The play was written in an era when dramatic narratives frequently pitted a few good individuals against systemic corruption.
It relies heavily on an honor code. That code feels out of step with contemporary political disillusionment.
Smaller supporting roles found the correct cadence for Sorkin’s ornate language. Nick Blaemire, Thom Sesma, and Michael Oberholtzer performed them.
The overarching production leaves critics questioning the necessity of its return. The staging struggles to maintain its momentum as a living theatrical event.
It concludes with a listless rhythm. Will future audiences connect with the play’s dated political idealism?
