The Whipping Man, the award-winning play by Matthew Lopez (a staff writer on HBO's “The Newsroom”), looks at the Civil War and slavery from an unexpected Jewish angle. Set in Richmond, VA, in 1865, the story focuses on three characters: Caleb DeLeon (Shawn Savage), the scion of a Jewish-Confederate family; Simon (Ricco Ross) and John (Kirk Kelleykahn), two yarmulkeh-wearing former slaves on the DeLeon plantation. Yes, that's right: yamolkehs. History does confirm that some slaves were converted to Judaism by their southern masters. Lopez takes this startling, slightly absurd situation for his jumping-off point.
With the Civil War having just ended, Simon and John are not only black and Jewish, but suddenly free. That throws off the power dynamic between the men: the war and its aftermath have turned their lives upside down, changed them in profound and lasting ways. Now the whipped will do the whipping.
Caleb has returned to the ruined plantation (it was torched by the Union Army) to find his family gone. His slaves have fled, as well, except for Simon and John who, instead of wreaking vengeance on him, treat him with compassion and respect. They actually save Caleb's life by operating on him. (The Whipping Man may be the first play in which an amputation takes place right in front of us.)
To balance the blood-and-guts aspects of the drama, Lopez wisely and skillfully works the essence of Jewishness into the mix. Simon pushes for them to celebrate Passover together -- the communal giving-of-thanks for the Jewish people's passage out of bondage and oppression. The ceremony, with its quotes from the Haggadah -- and hardtack substituting for matzo -- may be simple and rudimentary, but its message of survival and hope comes across movingly and strongly.
The Whipping Man’s cast features three skilled actors whose dedication to the story is admirable and impressive. They, aided by director Howard Teichman and solid production values, help to make the production the success it is.
