America 1929: John F. Kennedy, the Great Writer

Three days after George Bernard Shaw's statement was published, James Thurber, a reporter for The New Yorker, was finally granted permission to enter the rehearsal venue.

This permission was hard-won. Arthur declined interview requests from most media outlets, but The New Yorker was different.

This magazine's satirical cartoons and in-depth reporting have a huge influence among New York's middle class, and choosing it would both ensure the quality of the interviews and expand the impact of the play.

Isabella laid down strict conditions for Thurber over the phone: "Three hours, observation only, no disturbing the actors, and interviews can only be conducted during rehearsal breaks."

Thurber readily agreed. To be honest, he was very curious about the interview.

The fact that a columnist could receive public praise from a master of George Bernard Shaw's caliber is a story worth exploring in itself.

He wanted to see what this Mr. Kennedy was really capable of.

As Thurber pushed open the rusty iron door and descended the narrow stairs, a damp, musty smell hit him.

He frowned. To be honest, this looked more like an abandoned warehouse than a rehearsal space.

Thurber was somewhat disappointed. What decent stuff could an amateur playwright possibly produce in such shabby conditions?

But when he reached the bottom and saw the makeshift stage built of planks and bricks, his thoughts began to change.

The stage was simple, but it was arranged in an orderly manner. Three actors were on stage: a young man in a suit, a middle-aged man wearing glasses, and a thin assistant.

Lawson stood at the edge of the stage, script in hand, explaining the script to the actors. The actors listened attentively, nodding occasionally and asking questions sometimes.

Thurber noticed something in the eyes of these actors, something he rarely saw in the professional actors on Broadway. It was a kind of dedication, a kind of sincerity.

He found a corner to stand in and opened his laptop.

Lawson clapped his hands:

"Alright, let's begin with Act Two, Scene One. Remember, the mayor, for electoral reasons, currently wants to help the workers, but Humphrey needs to stall him with the process. Bernard, you need to quietly remind him of the reality, but not too obviously. Ready?"

The actors nodded and took their positions.

The young man playing the mayor took a deep breath and then asked, "Could we just give unemployment benefits to the workers directly?"

The middle-aged actor playing Humphrey pushed up his glasses and gave a professional smile.

"Of course, Mr. Mayor. But first, we need to determine who the 'unemployed workers' are. This requires a determination process."

"Then let's make a decision quickly." The mayor's tone was somewhat urgent.

"Recognition requires an application, the application requires forms, the forms need to be designed, the design requires a committee, the committee needs to meet, the meetings need to be notified, and the notifications take time..."

Lawson called a halt: "Very good, but Humphrey, you could slow down a bit. You need to make the audience feel that every word you say makes sense, but that it's just wasting time."

The middle-aged actor nodded and did it again.

This time, he spoke more slowly, and each word was spoken very clearly, as if he were explaining a complex problem to someone who wasn't very bright.

Thurber couldn't help but write a line in his notebook: They are seriously rehearsing absurdity.

Rehearsals continue. The next scene is about responsibility.

The mayor asked, "Who is responsible for this?"

Humphrey replied, "Procedurally speaking, the Planning Bureau is responsible for planning, the Implementation Bureau is responsible for implementation, and the Oversight Bureau is responsible for oversight. So, everyone is responsible."

"Who will be responsible if something goes wrong?"

"When a problem arises, we need to determine which stage it's in. If it's a planning issue, the planning bureau is responsible. If it's an implementation issue, the implementation bureau is responsible. If it's a supervision issue, the supervision bureau is responsible."

The mayor paused for a few seconds: "What if it's a systemic problem?"

Humphrey paused for a moment, then said in a more serious tone, "Mr. Mayor, from a system design perspective, there shouldn't be a 'systemic problem.' Because each link has someone in charge."

Thurber couldn't help but laugh out loud, then immediately realized his blunder and quickly covered his mouth. Fortunately, the other dockworkers watching also laughed.

Thurber then noticed several dockworkers sitting in the corner. They were wearing work clothes and had oil stains on their hands, clearly watching the rehearsal during their break.

Lawson turned his head, glanced at them, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face:

"Great, the audience laughed. That means we did the right thing."

Rehearsals were paused. Lawson went on stage to discuss a detail with the actors.

Thurber noticed that when Lawson spoke, the actors all crowded around, listening intently. One young actor even took out a notebook and jotted down Lawson's suggestions.

This seriousness surprised Thurber. In the Broadway shows he had seen before, actors usually just went through the motions, waiting for the director to yell "cut" so they could go have a smoke and chat about last night's party.

But this place is different. These actors, though young and amateur, take this play more seriously than professional actors.

During a break in rehearsal, Thurber walked over to Arthur. Arthur was sitting on a wooden box, holding a script and making marks on it.

"Mr. Kennedy, may I ask you a few questions?"

Arthur looked up, saw Thurber, and nodded: "Of course."

Thurber sat down beside him: "Are these conversations fabricated, or based on real experiences?"

Arthur put down his pen: "Both. Some I heard in interviews, and some I deduced logically. But essentially, they are both true."

Do you think this presentation style is more effective than news reporting?

Arthur thought for a moment: "It's not that it's more effective, it's that it's different. News reports tell readers what happened, while drama shows the audience why it happened. News reports appeal to reason, while drama appeals to feeling."

Thurber wrote the sentence down in his notebook.

He then asked, "Where did you find your actors? They seem very dedicated."

Arthur smiled. "Some are Broadway extras, some are Columbia University drama students. They're not here for the money, they're here because they believe in this play."

"Believe in what?"

"I believe this play has the power to change lives."

Thurber looked at the actors on stage. They were resting, but no one had left.

The middle-aged actor playing Humphrey is discussing a detail with the young man playing the mayor. The two are arguing intensely, but both are very serious. Meanwhile, the thin young man playing the assistant is quietly memorizing his lines.

These people aren't acting; they're doing something they consider important.