Steeped in Moral Ambiguities (Hayswood Theatre)

Feb 16

3 min read

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A Few Good Men

By Aaron Sorkin

Directed by Zach Trinkle

A Review by Regina Harris

“So, this is what the inside of a courtroom looks like,” muses Lt. Daniel Kaffee, a Navy litigator in A Few Good Men by Aaron Sorkin. An underachieving young attorney, Kaffee is known as “the plea bargain attorney” who takes nothing seriously and has rarely, if ever, set foot in a courtroom. He has been tasked with defending two young Marines accused of murdering a fellow Marine. It seems an easy open and shut case, until fellow Navy attorney Jo Galloway becomes determined to defend one of the young men. What follows is an examination of what it means to blindly follow orders; a dissection of moral principle; and questioning who is to be held accountable in power structures meant to destroy the weaker man.

Hayswood Theatre in Corydon turned in a quality performance of A Few Good Men Thursday night. Lt. Kaffee, is a military litigator ordered to defend two young Marines who engage in a “Code Red,” (a Marine tradition for hazing/disciplining a fellow soldier who has “fallen out of line”) resulting in his death. Pfc. William Santiago is a bad fit for the Marine Corps and is desperate to transfer out of his unit stationed at Guantanamo Bay. He has written letters to everyone who might be able to help him (other than his commanding officer, Lt. Jonathan J. Kendrick.) He offers to trade information about an illegal action by his fellow Marine, Lance Cpl. Harold W. Dawson, in exchange for the transfer which is wholly unacceptable to the Corps. Early one morning, an ambulance is called to the base to help unresponsive Santiago, who dies within an hour. Dawson and Pfc. Louden Downey admit to tying Santiago up to “shave his head” and both soldiers take responsibility for an action that officially “no longer happens” in the modern military. Lt. Comdr. Jo Galloway begs to defend Downey, whom she believes to be the least culpable of the pair. Steeped in moral ambiguities, A Few Good Men argues when and if having a moral code just boils down to bullying.

Impressive casting of such a complicated play by director Zach Trinkle led to a powerful production that I hope many will be able to enjoy. Clearly, his direction led to some spot-on performances. Of special note are Lincoln Fogarty (Dawson) and Colin Brandt (Downey). Both actors are quite young but show incredible promise in bringing to life two characters who are searching for their place in the world - and are understandably confused when their actions are met with consternation from the military hierarchy. It’s heart wrenching to watch.

As Kaffee and Galloway, Michael Horton and Rae Hester, respectively play off each other beautifully; Horton’s nonchalance contrasts perfectly to Hester’s earnestness. However, it is the powerful performance by Tom Luce as Lt. Col. Nathan Jessep, a dyed-in-the-wool career Marine, whose belief in codes of behavior and military might are at the center of the conflict. Luce brings the over-the-top rigidity and casual arrogance required to make the imposing character of Jessep downright terrifying. Job well done.

The large supporting cast held space for the five main characters to thrive. Particularly, Jason Lindsey as Lt. Jonathan J. Kendrick was the perfect combination of steely command and emotional ice. By contrast, a very small Jade Griffitt Trinkle exudes Santiago’s inherent fragility amid the demanding masculinity of the Marine corp. Everyone’s performance was enhanced by coaching from military advisors.

Overall, the ambitious production was very well executed. However, the relatively few settings required an inordinate number of cumbersome set changeovers which became a distraction at times (and broke the tension of otherwise compelling performances at others). It often felt as though the changeovers took longer than the scenes they followed. Pared down sets might have alleviated that, but they were effective, nonetheless.

The question of the military hierarchy and what it means to obey (direct or implied) orders is a conversation going back to post-Nazi Germany and has been had many times since in military settings. How can someone obey immoral orders? Who decides what’s moral and what’s not? Who are the bullies? And whose job is it to check them? Viewing this dilemma through the lens of our current political climate makes this subject even more relevant.

As Zach Trinkle says in his Director’s Note: “Never give in to bullies. At any level.” Point made, Zach.

A Few Good Men

Hayswood Theatre

February 13- 23, 2025

115 S. Capitol Avenue

Corydon, IN 47112

(812) 738-4489

https://www.hayswoodtheatre.org