Actors Thomas Jay Ryan (“An Enemy of the People”) and Noah Keyishian star in the new play “Franklinland,” which is being performed at Ensemble Studio Theatre (EST) in New York.
It was directed by Chika Ike from a script by Llyod Suh, and the cast also includes Mason Reeves.
It is a story of growing up as William Franklin (Noah Keyishian), the only son of Benjamin Franklin (Thomas Jay Ryan): the greatest scientific mind in the world, inventor of the lightning rod and the urinary catheter and the glass harmonica and bifocal glasses and, oh yeah, in his spare time the United States of America.
Thomas Jay Ryan delivers a commanding and transformative performance as the American polymath Benjamin Franklin, which really ran the gamut… he was sophisticated, witty, clever, bold, and unapologetic. He had solid chemistry with Noah Keyishian as his son, and they were both able to nail some dialogue-heavy scenes (and a fight scene) together.
While Mason Reeves only appears in the sixth and final scene of the play, he is a revelation as William Temple Franklin.
Gabby Gabriel remarked, “‘Franklinland’ is a thought-provoking exploration of the father-son dynamic, where the son’s frustration is brilliantly juxtaposed against his desire to be his own man while still living in his father’s shadow.”
“The play captures the painful complexity of this relationship and reminded me of Mark Twain’s observation about how perspectives on fathers change over time,” Gabriel observed.
“Watching the son struggle, it was clear to the audience that Benjamin Franklin was right, but his inability to communicate in a way his son could understand made the emotional distance even more painful to witness,” Gabriel added.
“Franklinland” was commissioned and developed through the EST/Sloan Project, which is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the partnership between EST and The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
The Verdict
Overall, “Franklinland” is able to take the audience on a journey, as they explore the life of a man Benjamin Franklin who dreams of founding a utopia in Nova Scotia yet he aims for an experiment known as the United States.
The father and son dynamics scrutinized in the play were insightful, and the acting performances were memorable.
Kudos to Llyod Suh for writing such a compelling script, and to director Chika Ike for bringing Suh’s words to life… from the page to the EST stage.
This play is worth checking out, and it will sustain the viewer’s attention for the entire duration. “Franklinland” garners four out of five stars.
