"It's ironic that Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground is dedicated to selling its title subject as a defender of liberal values (a term he hated). Such are the gyrations of our politics in an era when the terms 'liberal' and 'conservative' often seem to have lost their traditional meanings. This production is conceived as an emollient, meant to soothe and inspire. But the real Eisenhower was surely more interesting than the slightly waxen figure presented here."
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“...Rubinstein, under Peter Ellenstein's direction, offers a complex and deeply rooted performance. Rubinstein does not so much offer an impersonation of Eisenhower, but he impressively captures the spirit of a man who strives for steadiness and calm while finding himself caught up in one global and national storm after another. It is a masterful acting achievement.”
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“Enhanced by projections of historical photographs that give the production the feel of an illustrated biography, ‘Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground’ proves both a compelling solo drama and a welcome reminder that there was once a time when moderation did indeed play a vital role in national politics.”
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Aside from being an engrossing and informative evening in the theater, "Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground" is a much needed lesson in democracy in our divisive times. Mostly forgotten today, the life and career of Dwight David Eisenhower who had a tremendous influence on the first half of the 20th century is given a thorough review. True, some unflattering parts of his life are left out. However, as this is told from his point of view, this can be forgiven. John Rubinstein turns out to be a perfect fit for this role and gives a memorable performance which joins the ranks of several other historical one-person shows of high caliber.
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“Gaining ground for the right objective is the unspoken subtext as Eisenhower asserts that the next generation must exercise leadership to maintain American pride.”
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“One person shows that are biographical are always a bid dodgy. For one thing, the author has to come up with a reason for the character onstage to be talking at all – because the character is alone. It is much easier to drop the fourth wall and talk to the audience directly...’Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground’ is a perfect example.”
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"Playwright Richard Hellesen successfully uses this trope to reveal to the audience the heart and soul of Dwight D. Eisenhower from the days of his youth to the present in 1962."
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Rubinstein’s performance as Eisenhower, which quietly and effectively brings out what’s funny and what’s poignant in the script, is in most respects as welcome as all the other performances I’ve seen of his…But “Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground” seems intended as a history lesson in defense of 34, and perhaps a lesson about historians. As history, it gave me pause.
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