By G. S. Morales
For the Real Critics Blog
John Lynd and Travis Rhett Wilson exceed high expectations in "Damned: John Wilkes Booth—Bloody Patriot."
The second installment in JTL Productions' "Acting Out" Series, "Damned" is a visceral, riveting portrayal of one of the most legendary and reviled villains in American history.
Lifelong comedian Lynd once again showcases his skill in dramatic scriptwriting and intriguing, realistic stage direction. Greeting the audience is an ominous display of Lincoln’s portrait hanging between tattered Union and Confederate flags. Below them, Lynd’s go-to actor enlivens the powerful text of brutal historical truths, intriguing political and philosophical questions, smirk-inducing anachronisms (Booth’s ghost has a century-and-a-half of hindsight); as well as the moral morass of a (“probably psychotic”) man willing to abandon extraordinary wealth and fame to sacrifice his life for his country, or at least the Confederate version thereof. (To paraphrase one of my favorite paradoxical bits: “How dare you enslave and brutalize your fellow man... Now, do what we say, or we’ll blast you to kingdom come!”)
Wilson never disappoints. A self-proclaimed "character actor," Wilson commands the stage with verve and ease, betraying the meekness the euphemism implies. He's not a perpetual-supporter kind of actor. He's the real deal, able to enthrall a sold-out house with nothing more than sheer talent and a few old-timey props.
Though the early draft of the book lends toward the dark side of its namesake, glossing over the lighter-hearted aspects of Booth's life story—if indeed there are any—"Damned" proves itself another great, original work the I.E. stages are privileged to host, and one of the few bastions of legit theatre in a world choking on commercial cud.
