After listening to The Rivalry, a play based on the Lincoln-Douglas debates and delivered with aplomb by the Los Angeles Theater Works Productions company, I wanted to experience more of LATW. Then I saw this, another play based on debate and dialogue. Together Tonight draws on the writings of Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and Aaron Burr to put the men into direct debate together, moderated by a Mr. Pickering. Corwin originally titled this No Love Lost, and such a name is warranted: Jefferson and Hamilton were archrivals, and Burr was commonly regarded as a craven opportunist, dismissed by his peers. The initial topic of discussion is relations with France, the “Quasi-War” — but the conversation wanders all over the place. Hamilton even remarks on it — “Remarkable! One minute we are talking about the Masons and principles and children’s books, and the next about the variations in the vegetable and mineral kingdoms! ?”. One potential issue is that it is sometimes difficult to pick out who is speaking, at least between Hamilton and Jefferson: it took me about twenty minutes before I could reliably tell them apart. They’re both good voices — lots of gravitas — but the differences are subtle to an untuned ear or a casual listener. Aaron Burr was easier: he sounded exactly like a weasel.

The conversation’s life was quite good, to my ears, flowing naturally — hence some of the randomness — and Corwin smartly engineers space for intermission by having the chatter shift to an issue on which Alexander Hamilton takes such offense that he demands a moment to cool down. (At one point, Hamilton is so furious with Burr that I wondered if the historic challenge to duel — which killed Hamilton and excised Burr like a cancer from the body politic — would be issued there and then.) There is, in fact, an extended discussion on the merits of dueling — one that would surely have anyone with knowledge of how their relationship ended sitting on the edge of their seats with an anticipatory grin. Blessed are those with foreknowledge, for they shall be rewarded. While not as stellar as The Rivalry, this history major was thoroughly entertained by it. I may have to give that curr Burr a fair shake — there’s an interesting book called Fallen Founder I can take a look at.

Additional Note: When “No Love Lost” was originally performed, it featured WILLIAM SHATNER AND JACK LEMMON.