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| The Originalist – Antonin Scalia | |
| Posted by: newyork293 01:01 pm EDT 07/16/18 | |
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| Saw The Originalist yesterday at 59E59. It is very timely considering what has been going on the past couple of weeks with the nomination of Justice Kavanaugh. Edward Gero gives a tour de force performance as Justice Scalia. Tracy Ifeachor gives a very good performance as Scalia’s ultra-liberal law clerk and provides the ammunition for the fireworks (and firearms) to come. It runs just short of 2 hours without an intermission. As an extra treat for those interested: “59E59 Theaters announced today that US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will join director Molly Smith for a special post show conversation immediately following the matinee performance of The Originalist on Sunday, July 29. The conversation will revolve around Justice Ginsburg's former colleague, the late Justice Antonin Scalia, and themes related to the production.” |
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| re: The Originalist – Antonin Scalia | |
| Last Edit: robert_j 07:25 pm EDT 07/16/18 | |
| Posted by: robert_j 07:25 pm EDT 07/16/18 | |
| In reply to: The Originalist – Antonin Scalia - newyork293 01:01 pm EDT 07/16/18 | |
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| I saw this yesterday as well. I actually teach constitutional law, so I was pleased to see that they got the law right, and the depiction of Scalia feels very accurate. In fact, the resemblance is so on point that I found myself forgetting that it was not the real deal. I was less enchanted with the play itself. There is not much of a drama there, and the woman who plays the law clerk is still finding her performance. I also feel like the play could have been (and should have been) updated to take into account Scalia's final term on the Court, and his death. Concluding with the Windsor decision makes the play feel dated, particularly since that decision was so quickly eclipsed by Obergefell, and his opinion in that case (as well as King v. Burwell) very much marks a return to (acerbic) form, ending his career on a decidedly sour note. There is also more that could have been done with Scalia's (too close) relationship with Cheney, and the associated concerns about undue political influence on his decision-making. But as a meditation on originalism, the play works very well. Viewers will get an accurate, balanced overview of some of the major constitutional issues, and the central performance is extraordinary. |
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