BULLET REVIEW — CORRUPTION
A new play by J.T. Rogers, (Oslo Best Play Tony Award 2017) and directed by Bartlett Sher (Best Direction of a musical Tony Award for South Pacific in 2008)
In previews and opening March 11 at Lincoln Center Mitzi Newhouse Theatre.
One of the luxuries of not being a real reviewer is that I don’t have to hide my ignorance of British politics and the London tabloid landscape of 13 years ago, which is necessary to fully appreciate “Corruption” the new play about the phone hacking scandal that hit the Murdoch media empire in 2011.
The play, based on the book Dial M for Murdoch, is about a member of Parliament and his team of journalists, politicians and lawyers who risk actual personal threats and fabricated slander to expose the phone hacking scandal of Rupert Murdoch’s News International and its then editor Rebekah Brooks. The acting and staging in this riveting production is extraordinary. The skillful character portrayals, including multiple rolls taken on by individual actors are a singular joy.
The staging is noteworthy. As each scene blends into the next, performers and stagehands flow on and off stage seamlessly rearranging props in an intricate attention focussing ballet. The story arch is enhanced with projected video graphics of newsroom imagery.
There is an interesting conversation to be had about the telling of this story to an American audience in 2024. The Rupert Murdoch we know is more than the mud slinging soulless scandalmonger of Fleet Street who would do anything to sell papers. Our Rupert is the most dangerous immigrant of modern American history whose Fox News hate filled narrative has infected the American body politic.
