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Its goal is to speak audibly about 2018 and sometimes poignantly, sometimes more heavy-handedly it succeeds.

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But as a piece of theater, its magnificent.

As a company, under Shers careful and majestic direction, they are incandescent.

And what a person.

Celia Keenan-Bolger is so wonderful as Scout Finch that the air seems to buzz around her.

And Im also part of the narrative.

Shes got some big questions, and shes ready to dig for the truth.

Or she thinks she is.

The summer Dill came to town.

The summer of Boo Radley.

The summer of the trial of Tom Robinson.

The summer she and her brother really started to grow up.

So far, so Harper Lee.

In fact, he has more.

Their father is more temperate.

No matter who youre disrespecting by doin it, Calpurnia shoots back at her well-meaning white boss.

Is Atticuss insistence on decency a reflection of the relative ease and comfort in which he lives?

Is it a code thats purchased at the expense of real justice, real progress?

Can we just not afford it anymore?

They dont deserve an explanation!

The time for walking around in her skin, it appears, is up).

But a different argument is being made with this Atticus, and alls fair in love and adaptation.

Seen another way, its Danielss full, nuanced performance that keeps Sorkins pointedness from feeling pedantic.

And its Sher, too.

With his designers, he goes big but he doesnt go overboard.

The narrator and the author, the kid detective and the grown, still searching woman.

Like all children, Scout and Jem learn the world through both adventure and osmosis.

Meanwhile, Scouts been learning to look for humanity even in the most irredeemable places.

They were far from the last.

(You know very fine people on both sides.)

I get Sorkins allusion: It was a hot-take-y way to make his point.

Some of those human beings are Bob Ewells or Donald Trumps.

Some are Mr. Cunninghams.

Some are Tom Robinsons or Scouts.

And plenty are somewhere in between.

Even then, they aint worth the bullet it took to shoot em.

Oh no, Calpurnia replies, her eyebrow perpetually raised, theyre worth the bullet.

But I cant help hearing the sheriffs same words coming out of the racist abusers mouth.

Whom wouldhebe referring to?

To Kill a Mockingbirdis at the Shubert Theatre.