What I liked
The cast and their chemistry are exceptional as they seek to answer the question of Abraham Lincoln’s sexuality. Everything is considered, especially as it concerns with Lincoln’s relationship with Joshua Speed: the context of male friendships at the time, the opinions of contemporaries, and Abraham Lincoln’s own poetry on queer topics.
As a queer theater person with a reedy voice myself, I’ve always felt a kinship with Lincoln, and I loved how Terry Ray’s script and the dynamic cast brought this story to life. The play takes place in a liminal space that reminded me a little bit of the abstract place where much of the action of Sondheim’s “Assassins” takes place, and allows us to examine the question from all sorts of angles and biases. The script is very funny, and the versatile Kimleigh Smith gives a particularly good performance playing multiple roles in the lifetime of Lincoln.
What I didn't like
While I appreciate that they didn’t ignore the issue, I don’t know that the specific depiction of slavery was necessary, especially since slavery wasn’t the focus of the piece. I’m not sure that white people portraying American slaves was the right call. Additionally, the play gets a little bogged down by itself towards the middle.
My overall impression
A humorous jaunt through the (personal) life and times of Abraham Lincoln featuring direct quotes, primary sources, and a stellar cast!
