Review of “Jimmy Higgins” at the Holderness School-New Hampshire
February 19, 2009 – 5:12 pmreview by Drama Director Monique Devine, written the day after the performance:
History, Social Issues and Drama Blend on the Holderness Stage
When Mr. Butler made the arrangements for one of his acquaintances to perform a one-man show about labor unions at Holderness School, none of us knew what to expect. First, the notion of one actor on stage for ninety minutes by himself begged the question, how was one man going to tell a story without the aid of other actors? Second, the topic of labor unions seemed dry for an audience of high school history students. In the play, “Jimmy Higgins: A Life in the Labor Movement” written and performed by Harlan Baker, the students witnessed a production that blended drama, history, politics and social issues into a compelling life story. Mr. Baker, a resident of Portland, Maine is a teacher, actor, a former member of the Maine legislature, a union activist, and democratic socialist leader. The fictional character “Jimmy Higgins” has long stood for the name of the ideal member of the rank-and-file union and socialist party.
The setting is Jimmy Higgins’ apartment on the eve of the 1960 presidential race. A college student is interviewing Jimmy, a rank and file union activist about his life. As part of the interview Higgins recounts his days as a newspaper boy in Sandusky Ohio during World War I, his meeting with Eugene Debs and other radicals opposed to American participation in the war. A high point in the play is the recounting of his experiences in the Robert LaFollette Sr. presidential run in 1924 and his time spent covering the union organizing drives of tenant farmers and autoworkers in the 1930s. All of these experiences combined added up to a life that was focused on a cause that remained Jimmy Higgins’ passion.
The structure of the play consisted of nine scenes in which Mr. Baker portrayed a multitude of characters, and spanned sixty years. It was a simple set, which served as the backdrop of various settings including a rally, the streets of Ohio and a newsroom. The piece weaved in facts about the history of the labor union movement and the politics of the times through the voices of many characters.
Mr. Baker’s acting was solid and he never wavered in his focus of performing this piece. His personal passion for this issue was a current throughout his performance and brought many points home for the audience. His abilities as an actor were showcased in his portrayal of a variety of characters from an elderly woman to a young male activist. He also portrayed Jimmy throughout his years from young paperboy to nostalgic elder.
This production was an educational journey. Actual individuals who had help shape this movement were mentioned throughout the play along with facts about the era and cause. The students were enthralled by Mr. Baker’s skills and stamina as an actor, while they learned about a particular moment in history that is often overlooked. We were fortunate to have Mr. Baker grace us with his performance and provide some of the history classes with the historical perspective through theater. We are grateful to him and Mr. Butler for bringing Jimmy Higgins to life on the Holderness stage.
