Susan Granger’s review of “A Time to Kill” (Oct. 2013, Golden Theater/Broadway)
In Rupert Holmes’ theatrical adaptation of John Grisham’s 1989 thriller, the audience becomes the jury as a young, idealistic defense attorney combats racism in Clanton in Ford County, Mississippi.
It’s obviously no accident that director Ethan McSweeney (“The Best Man”) cast Sebastian Arcelus (“House of Cards”) as Jake Brigance, since he bears a remarkable resemblance to Matthew McConaughey, who played the role in Joel Schumacher’s 1996 screen version. It’s also notable that the Broadway opening coincides with Doubleday’s Oct. 22 publication of Grisham’s sequel “Sycamore Road,” which sends Brigance (obviously Grisham’s literary alter-ego) back into the same courtroom, arguing another race-related case.
Set in the early ‘80s, the plot revolves around the brutal, backwoods beating and rape of Tonya, a helpless 10 year-old African American girl, by two drunk, drugged-up rednecks (Lee Sellars, Dashiell Eaves). Aware that these obviously guilty culprits will do less than 10 years’ prison time, Tonya’s enraged father, Carl Lee Hailey (John Douglas Thompson) guns them down inside the courthouse before their case is tried. Arrested immediately and seemingly doomed, Hailey begs Brigance to take his case, opposing opportunistic, politically ambitious District Attorney, Rufus R. Buckley (Patrick Page), before no-nonsense Judge Omar Noose (Fred Dalton Thompson). While preparing a ‘temporary insanity’ plea, Brigance is joined by his former mentor, disbarred lush Lucien Wilbanks (Tom Skerritt), and an outspoken law student, Ellen Roark (Ashley Williams). (For those trying to recall the movie, Kevin Spacey was the Judge with Sandra Bullock as the law student.) Brigance’s only hope for acquittal is to persuade the jury to look beyond color and empathize with Hailey as a righteous, if irrational father.
While the tense courtroom drama is enhanced by the versatility of James Noone’s curved, wooden set and Jeff Croiter’s lighting, the movie and Matthew McConaughey do a better job with the same story.