In 1993, an historic handshake in the White House Rose Garden offered a promise but failed to deliver fulfillment. Closer to fulfillment is J.T. Rogers's captivating and inspired drama, Oslo, now on Lincoln Center Theater's Mitzi E. Newhouse stage. Rogers goes behind the scenes of the Oslo Peace Accords between Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and chairman Yasser Arafat of the Palestine Liberation Organization, and reveal the vital role of Norwegians in bringing it all about. The play's three hours of intrigue follow Norwegian Terje Rød-Larsen (Jefferson Mays), director of the Fafo Institute for Applied Social Sciences, and his wife Mona Juul (Jennifer Ehle), of Norway's Foreign Ministry. The well-drawn book is skillfully paced by director Bartlett Sher, stressing the possibilities of striving for a challenging peace, with Larsen and Juul planning secret meetings at Borregaard Estate outside of Oslo between the emissaries from Israel and Palestine. The play poses thrilling arguments, builds with suspense, yet hums with optimism and is punched up with humor. Although the ending reveals the bloodshed that followed the Oslo Accord, Larsen's theme remains, "See how far we have come! If we have come this far, through blood, through fear — hatred — how much further can we yet go? . . . The Possibility." This spirit keeps the play and its message from falling into pessimistic capitulation. This back story of the Oslo Accords is true and documented but not well known. In the playwright's note, Rogers makes clear that while chronology and locations vary, the events actually took place and the characters are all true, although the dialogue is Rogers's. He does not present a play from one perspective, taking an Israeli or Palestinian sides but is mostly equitable and stresses a fierce determination for a peaceful agreement in an area that has long been a tinderbox. Adeptly directed by Sher, Rogers's exploration before the Washington meeting reveals the clandestine political negotiations, occasional “constructive ambiguity,” dinner parties, waffles and Scotch, between April 1992 and September 1993. With drama, wit and gravitas, the emissaries of the two mid-East countries meet, talk and get to know each other in Oslo preparing for the big talks in Washington by Rabin and Arafat. Playing Larsen, versatile Jefferson Mays drives the play in an unassuming yet bold way. Graceful and unpretentious, Jennifer Ehle as Juul, periodically breaks the fourth wall and addresses the audience, adding to an understanding of the events. This couple are the coordinators. The fire and fury come from the Palestinians and Israelis. Anthony Azizi is magnetic as P.L.O. Finance Minister Ahmen Qurie or "Abu Ala," and Dariush Kashani is intimidating as sophisticated Hassan Asfour, Official P.L.O. Liason with the Palestinian Delegation at multilateral U.S.-sponsored talks. Daniel Oreskes is Israel's Foreign Minister Shimon Peres (doubling also as a Professor in Haifa). Adam Danniheisser plays Yossi Beilin, Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister, and Michael Aronov is brash as Uri Savir, Director General of the Israeli Foreign Ministry. Joseph Siravo portray Joel Singer, Jewish Washington lawyer. The acting is forceful and cohesive. Michael Yeargan designed a spare Scandinavian set with easily mobile furniture to alternate scenes and background projections provide additional timeline information. Catherine Zuber dressed the characters conservatively, and lighting by Donald Holder is dramatically emphatic. At the end, the characters step forth to talk about the consequences of the Oslo Accord. The handshake remains on the screen but in reality, the two sides have remained destructively separate. This is a thought-provoking work. Still the hope and optimism of the play may be a basis for success, if there are optimists who can share the hope of Tejre Rod-Larsen and Mona Juul in Oslo 23 years ago.
