‘The Andersonville Trial’

Actors’ NET of Bucks County presents Saul Levitt’s scorching docudrama.

By: Stuart Duncan
   Actors’ NET of Bucks County may just have found the definitive anti-holiday play. Shunning any thoughts of Dickensian London, Bedford Falls or 34th Street, the hardy group on the banks of the Delaware in Morrisville, Pa., is offering Saul Levitt’s scorching docudrama The Andersonville Trial at its intimate theater spaces in the Heritage Center.
   The 1953 drama is best known for a 1970 television revival with an all-star cast that included William Shatner, Cameron Mitchell, Buddy Ebsen, Martin Sheen and Richard Basehart. It was directed by George C. Scott. The action takes place in the United States Court of Claims in Washington, D.C., in August 1865. In real life, the courtroom was "borrowed" by the military commission to provide space for the public. The basic source material for Levitt’s play is the official record of the actual trial.
   The cast of 18 is all male (probably one of the reasons why the work is done so infrequently these days). The action covers the trial of Henry Wirz, the commandant of the southern Andersonville prison. It was said that 40,000 northern prisoners entered the prison; 14,000 of them died of short supplies, filthy living conditions and the brutality of the guards. Wirz was blamed and he alone stood trial.
   The prosecution called no fewer than 160 witnesses and the defense argued (long before Nuremberg) that Wirz was only following orders, as any good military man would. The presiding judge, Gen. Lew Wallace (15 years later, after the trial, he would write Ben-Hur), is here played with just a hint of self-satisfied pomposity by Steve Lobis. Gen. Wallace tried to limit the testimony, but it was difficult. Here, director Joe Doyle pares the number of the tribunal from seven to three (and two of those are enactors, which explains their authentic uniforms).
   Playwright Levitt limits the defense witnesses to two — Wirz, who insists on taking the stand, and his doctor, who testifies that he was so badly wounded himself he could not possibly have accomplished some of the crimes attributed to him. The cast is superb, many in cameo roles, beautifully delivered. The evening (about two hours and 20 minutes) tears by, touching nerves all along the way. Don’t expect much in the way of "tidings of comfort and joy" in this production. You will be reminded of man’s brutality to man and you will most certainly decide your favorites among the company.
   Mine included Marco Newton, in another of his stunning performances, this time as Otis Baker, the defense council. Chuck Donnelly is an intense Lt. Col. Chipman, the prosecutor. But Ken Ammerman surpasses anything he has ever done as Wirz, skipping between rage and semi-insanity. In his final scene you will undoubtedly be reminded of Capt. Queeg and his stirring meltdown.
The Andersonville Trial continues at the Heritage Center, 635 N. Delmorr Ave.,
Morrisville, Pa., through Dec. 17. Performances: Fri.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 6 p.m.
Tickets cost $15, $13 seniors/children. For information, call (215) 295-3694.
On the Web: www.actorsnetbucks.org