The Craftsman

 Ian Merrill Peakes, Dan Hodge
Paul L.Nolan & Anthony Lawton

Any time a new work by playwright Bruce Graham hits the Philadelphia stage, it’s time to head for the theater, and Lantern Theater Company’s presentation of the world premiere of The Craftsman is no exception. When Lantern Artistic Director Charles McMahon commissioned Bruce Graham to write a play under the auspices of the company’s New Works Initiative, the story of World War II Dutch art dealer Han van Meegeren became the basis of the phenomenal fictionalized drama that Graham has produced. Anthony Lawton is a craftsman in the truest sense. In Act I, he aptly portrays the wealthy, smug, brash art dealer accused of selling Vermeer’s, considered national treasures, to the Nazis. In Act II he demonstrates that he is also an artist with considerable talent, defying noted art critic Abraham Bredius, portrayed by Paul L. Nolan.  Ian Merril Peakes portrays a long-suffering Dutch leader of the resistance who hates the opulent van Meegeren for becoming rich while dealing with the Nazis. Graham does not portray one dimensional characters. The Craftsman is a fascinating mélange of character studies that reflect the after-effects of World War II in Amsterdam and the six-member ensemble cast does an excellent job of fleshing out each individual. Bruce Graham’s latest work is a brilliant portrayal of the damage that hate can do to the psyche, the high value that we place on art in our culture, and the lengths a person might go to fulfill an innate craving for recognition. The Craftsman will be playing at the Lantern Theater, 10^th and Ludlow Streets, until December 10, 2017. For more information or tickets, call 215-820-0395, visit online at www. lanterntheater.org or visit the box office in person.