Review of Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird 2.21.24
Back in 2021, my son Carter and I travelled to NYC. Afterwards I posted a blog about all of the interesting people we met, including family and friends, and all of the memorable things we saw and did. However, the highlight for me was Saturday afternoon watching Jeff Daniels play the role of Atticus Finch in a new play adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird. Having read the book several times and seen the movie even more, this play was more gritty and powerful than both.
So, why am I sharing this now – to convince you to either go to New York OR see it on National Tour. It will be playing in Richmond from February 27th to March 3rd and in other cities through the end of June. Now, let me tell you why you need to see it – if you can still get tickets.
Remember those earlier nine words? I do not say them lightly. Why? Because To Kill a Mockingbird, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1960, is considered by some to be the greatest novel of all time (Chicago Tribune). In addition, a Library of Congress survey on books that have most affected people’s lives listed To Kill a Mockingbird second only to the Bible. And in 1999, American librarians named it the “Best Novel of the Twentieth Century.”
The movie was no slouch either. A critical and commercial success, the 1962 film adaptation of the novel was nominated for eight Oscars, including best picture, and won Gregory Peck an Oscar for Best Actor. The film was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation as “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant”. And the American Film Institute names Atticus Finch the greatest movie hero of the 20th century and listed the film as 25th on the list of greatest movies of all time.
So, any adaptation of this iconic American novel will be scrutinized and compared to both the novel and the 1962 film adaptation. And I repeat, Alan Sorkin’s stage adaptation is better than both and may be his best work ever. Known for his memorable lines and fast-paced dialogue, Alan Sorkin has created a masterpiece. Rolling Stone has this to say about it – “Five Stars. Unmissable and unforgettable. All rise for the miracle that is ‘Mockingbird.’” And NPR is already calling it “one of the greatest plays in history”.
So, why is it more gritty and powerful than the movie or the novel? While watching this play, you not only think about what life was like during the Jim Crow era, but also what our society is like now. Two lines from the play really stuck with me. “Mobs are where people go to hide their conscience.” This line is spoken after a scene in which Scout recognizes one of the members of a lynching mob and approaches him. In this adaptation, this scene was so powerful that I could not hold back my tears. In short order the man breaks down and forces the rest of the mob to abandon their deadly deed. I have heard many times that it is hard to hate somebody once you look them in the eye and get to know them. This little girl looked this mob in the eye, and they were forced to look back. And although they were able to objectify and dehumanize Tom, they could not do the same thing to this little girl.
Unfortunately, mobs can reappear in other forms. And this one reappeared as 12 men on a jury. Despite clear evidence to the contrary, to protect one of their own, they find an innocent man guilty of a crime he did not commit. And when groups allow people to hide their conscience through means of affirmation that include gossip, slanted social media, and biased news information, willful ignorance can and will occur.
These methods of affirmation are all various forms of mobs where people can hide their conscience and decide not to do the right thing. The need to belong and belonging to a tribe is a powerful emotion. Brene Brown, one of my favorite contemporary writers explains this powerful “need to belong” in many of her books. And years ago, my oldest son recommended that I read “The Righteous Mind” by Jonathan Haidt. A respected moral psychologist, Haidt explains why we are willing to ignore our conscience by hiding it under a blanket of willful ignorance. We will do so to protect “our tribe.”
The tribe we identify with can include family, friends, community, church, religion, a team, a country, a social class, and even a race. And like people, our tribes are not always right. All of us have been part of a tribe that is trying to wrongfully hurt someone or have been a target of a tribe trying to wrongfully hurt us. It happens and both have happened to me. And when that does happen, we need to be diligent and not hide our conscience.
Later in the play Scout says, “Maybe just trying to do the right thing is enough.” And that is the crux of the message – just do your best. And sometimes, even that may not be enough. And when that happens, do not be too hard on yourself.
Because I was an emotional wet rag after the play, I needed to decompress. So, my youngest son and I strolled through Central Park on that beautiful autumn afternoon. As we walked, we talked about the play. One clear message was that being human is messy, and as humans, we will fail, even when trying to do the right thing. But trying is noble and it is good, no matter what anyone else says or does to discredit the trying, even if it is our own tribe.
I understand that one of my favorite stage and screen stars, Richard Thomas, is playing Atticus Finch on the National Tour. I did not think anyone could play the role as well as Jeff Daniels did on Broadway. But some of the reviews of the National Tour indicate that Richard Thomas’ performance is reason alone to see the play. So, I cannot wait to see it again – this time with “John Boy” playing the lead. And I will borrow Rolling Stone’s eloquent words – this version may be “Unmissable and unforgettable” too! So, go see it if you can.
