National Theatre Live: Best of Enemies

This is my second encounter with a 'National Theatre Live' production this year, the first being the extremely underwhelming 'Life of Pi.' Given this, I approached 'Best of Enemies' without high expectations. However, after sitting through three hours of positive compelling, I am pleased to say that this production proved to be a masterfully crafted and dynamically staged experience. The script's sharp wit and the sophisticated portrayal of contrasting ideas, coupled with the sheer drama unfolding on stage, made every second worthwhile.

I have all but one reservation about it, and that of course is the decision to cast William F. Buckley with a different racial identity. And no, I don't bring this accusation from a 'Superman and James Bond are white, how dare they?' perspective, but rather from the perspective of a non-American viewer who entered this production with minimal knowledge of the subject matter. Throughout the performance, I assumed that the exchange of ideas between a white liberal and a black conservative during a tumultuous period in American history would carry significant historical and racial implications. Only later did I discover that this was a gross misinterpretation, as both characters were in fact white men in real life, but one was portrayed by a black actor, David Harewood. While I acknowledge Harewood's fantastic performance, the choice of this casting seems arbitrary, lacking a clear artistic or contextual rationale.

Setting aside this one peculiar tangent, 'Best of Enemies' remains a rich source of education and entertainment. Definitely looking forward to future offerings from National Theatre Live.