The Life And Times Of A. Einstein
Kres Mersky is an actress to contend with and, over the years, her one-woman shows (ISADORA DUNCAN and AT THE CODFISH BALL) have proven to be informative as well as entertaining, as has her extensive work on stage in her own and others’ plays and on television.
Her latest work, THE LIFE AND TIMES OF A. EINSTEIN, while less than perfect in its construction, still allows Ms. Mersky the chance to show off her talents, especially in her well-honed German accent and her comic-timing.
EINSTEIN should be considered a work-in-progress, as it doesn’t all flow properly. Lasting around 75 minutes, with no intermission, the play takes place in three stages, beginning in 1934 when Einstein fled the increasingly onerous Nazi regime in Germany, up to the year he died, 1955. The theatrical conceit centers on his loving but burdened private secretary, Ellen, and her desire to protect the eccentric genius from the hounding of the American press. It’s full of valuable information on both the life of the physicist and his impact on both established astronomy and the newly hatched science of astro-physics with his famous equation, E=MC². Mersky’s script is very funny and well-researched, but it’s still searching for a shape, as the three episodes do not flow well into each other, especially in how this important cog in the Einstein machine doesn’t change at all, including her dress.
Director (and husband to Ms. Mersky) Paul Gersten, along with lighting designer Yancey Dunham, costume designer J.K. Allen, and the admirable (and uncredited) set design, allow the action to advance without much hindrance. It’s an commendable evening, one that taught me much. It deserves a longer life, with some critical tinkering still to be achieved.
At Theatre West, 3333 Cahuenga Blvd West, Los Angeles, CA 90068. Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 7pm, through May 16th, 2010. Phone 323.851.7977 for reservations.