Ayad Akhtar's twisting drama at the Lyceum Theater, Disgraced, is as timely as an up-to-the-minute newsbreak. First produced off Broadway in 2012, the tempestuous play won the Pulitzer Prize for its examination of the Islamic faith in today's culture.
At the center here is Amir Kapoor (Hari Dhillon), a New York lawyer, born in Pakistan, struggling to live the American dream, wrestling with the meaning of the Quran versus the rise of Islamic terrorism. He works with mergers and acquisitions and lives on New York's Upper East Side with his blonde wife, Emily, played by Gretchen Mol. Emily is an artist, fascinated by the beauty and tradition of Islamic art. She urges Amir to embrace his heritage, but Amir fiercely rejects the Muslim beliefs of his family. He had even changed his name to one sounding more Indian than Pakistani but continues to be conflicted by feelings of discrimination in American society, especially after September 11, 2001.
Amir's nephew Abe Jensen (Danny Ashok), originally named Hussein Malik, urges Amir to attend a hearing for an iman accused of fundraising for terrorist groups. While Amir agreed to visit the imam in jail, he decides not to involve himself further. Now, however, Emily has joined Abe in encouraging Amir to just attend the imam's hearing. When the media falsely mentions Amir's name as part of the defense team, Amir's position, and a possible partnership at his law firm, is compromised. He is furious.
Weeks later, Amir and Emily host a dinner with her Jewish art dealer, Isaac (Josh Radnor), and his African American wife Jory (Karen Pittman) who works at the same law firm as Amir. When Isaac states, "Islamo-fascism is that there’s a difference between the religion, and the political use of it," Amir responds, "In Islam there’s no difference. There’s no distinction between church and state." Nevertheless, as drinking fuels the emotions, over the evening, Amir feels himself filled with a surprising sense of pride in Islam and its new power.
Director Kimberly Senior keeps the dramatic electricity, Ayad Akhtar's smart dialogue twisting with tension until the collisions, explosive on various levels. Dhillon is tightly restrained as Amir, the lessons learned in childhood long ago simmering beneath the cultivated surface until it boils over. As Emily, Mol is loving and bright, with sincere respect for her husband and his heritage. Pittman as Isaac's wife, Jory shines with the clever, snappy cooling-off comments, yet protects her own agenda. Josh Radnor as Isaac is an outgoing salesman with a flash of temper and a lifestyle to support. As Amir's nephew, Abe, Ashok's few scenes tighten various loops, convincingly stating at one point, "They disgraced us. And then they pretend they don’t understand the rage we’ve got?"
The perfection in the life Amir has tried to create for himself reflects in the production values of John Lee Beatty's spacious apartment set lighted by Kenneth Posner. Jennifer Von Mayrhauser has dressed the cast meticulously, reflecting upscale millennials on the stairway to success. It is all a perfect stage illustrating a life of conflicted identity, a man living as an imposter, and the damages it can cause.
