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Written by Jim Campbell Friday, 28 April 2006 08:03

For those in the audience who have ties to the nation of Israel, the play illustrates how their people fought for independence, both in the war room and the battlefield. For those of us that aren't as knowledgeable of the history of Israel, the play was more of an extended history lesson than anything else. Rather dry in some parts, the story suffered most when Meir rattled off specific events leading up to the country's independence.

Recently, Valerie Harper came to St. Louis for a limited engagement of Golda's Balcony. The one-act, one-woman play is an insightful look as to how the state of Israel came under the watchful eye of the country's only female Prime Minister, Golda Meir. The story depicts the “Iron Lady” in action as she is forced to pressure Henry Kissinger—along with other American politicians—to come to her aid while she tries to defend her country from several powerful enemies.

For those in the audience who have ties to the nation of Israel, the play illustrates how their people fought for independence, both in the war room and the battlefield. For those of us that aren't as knowledgeable of the history of Israel, the play was more of an extended history lesson than anything else. Rather dry in some parts, the story suffered most when Meir rattled off specific events leading up to the country's independence.

The story did succeed when Meir would talk about her family and her childhood. It was astonishing to see how an immigrant to Milwaukee, WI came to power as the Prime Minister of Israel. When she would remember times during her courtship with her husband, Morris Myerson, her vulnerable side was exposed. But when the story would return to the pressing matters of war, the story lost some of the human element.

Harper, the talented actress that she is, did a decent enough job in representing the Israeli icon. Having to carry the whole play on her back, Harper's intensity served her well as she illuminated the country's fight for freedom. With a few minor gaffes here and there, Harper was able to keep the audience engaged when the story ran dry.

Technically, the set design and special effects were average at best. The overuse of a slide projector and cheesy lightning effects actually drew away from the story rather than adding dramatic flair.

Finally, I thought it was odd for this production to be set in the Fabulous Fox's expansive auditorium. Normally, the hall would be filled with fantastic musical numbers and elaborate dance movements. However for this production, the enormous hall made it difficult for Harper to reel in the whole audience. This production may have benefited from being staged in a more intimate large theater like The Rep or even the Grandel Theater.