Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, August 6, 1994                   TAG: 9408090021
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: B-10   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: By KAREN L. DAVIS SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

`FEW GOOD MEN' HAS A LOT OF GOOD ACTING

So well-written is the play, so natural and realistic is the dialogue that the actors seem to have little trouble conveying their characters. The play's strength lies in its verbal dexterity. And the cast of 18 is equally dexterous in delivering the lines with the appropriate intensity.

Set in the summer of 1986, the play centers on the trial of two Marines stationed at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, accused of murdering a fellow corpsman during a secretive disciplinary action called a Code Red. The ensuing court martial pits a young, smart-aleck Naval defense lawyer, Lt. j.g. Daniel Kaffee (played by Shane Stevens), against a rugged, hard-core warrior, Lt. Col. Nathan Jessup (played by Michael Goodwin), in a brilliant exchange of principles that raises more questions than it answers.

On the witness stand, Jessup valiantly argues his principle that defending a nation sometimes carries a justifiable cost in lives. Kaffee's team argues for the rights of the individual. Both sides make valid points and probe issues about duty, honor and justice that remain as complex and unanswered as ever.

The truth is, there are no simple, easy answers to the issues raised in this compelling courtroom drama. But the issues really on trial here are blind obedience versus reason.

Lance Cpl. Harold Dawson (played by Ivan Jourdain) and Pfc. Louden Downey (played by Brian Burke) obey the orders of their superior officers without question as they carry out the Code Red assignment.

Jessup and Lt. Jonathan James Kendrick (played by Doug Zschiegner) argue that a strong, stable military unit cannot exist without corpsmen trained and willing to obey orders and live by the military code of honor without question. They have a point.

However, the victim, Pfc. William Santiago (played by Gary Mink), was cruelly ostracized by members of his unit because he was weak and sickly. Later, he was bound, gagged and beaten to death by those sworn to defend and protect the weak and defenseless.

Goodwin conveys a strong, commanding presence as Jessup. And although Jessup is generally regarded as the villain in the piece, Goodwin's Jessup is likeable in the sense that one has to admire a man so unwaveringly committed to his principles, no matter how flawed.

Stevens as Naval defense lawyer Kaffee is somewhat reminiscent of Tom Cruise in the movie role. He comes across as charming, quick-witted, confident and brash.

Assisting Kaffee in the case are Lt. j.g. Sam Weinberg (played by Steven Satta) and Lt. Cmdr. Joanne Galloway (played by Colleen Kelly). The conflicts among this threesome lend tension and humor to the play.

Kelly's character is as strong-willed and as equally committed as Jessup. Her character conveys a severe, no-nonsense attitude, yet she is attractive, poised, confident, self-assertive and hard-working. Satta's Weinberg, on the other hand, is a somewhat lazy, but likeable, fellow who would much rather be home watching his young daughter grow up than spending late nights mulling over trial documents.

In keeping with military fashion, the set is sparse and functional. Actors carry props on and off stage as they enter and exit. Lighting cues signal scene changes, which are accomplished quickly, although sometimes a bit noisily, on a darkened stage. There is no live orchestra, but taped military marches and other sound effects proliferate.

The action takes place in various locations in Washington, D.C., and on the naval base in Guantanamo Bay, but it does not move chronologically, as in the film version. Instead, some scenes, both past and present, take place simultaneously on different areas of the stage, using clever lighting changes to cue the audience's attention.

``A Few Good Men,'' directed by Jere Lee Hodgin, offers an evening well-spent grappling with the critical issues raised in the play. Although deeply thought-provoking, the drama succeeds on the entertainment level as well.

``A Few Good Men'' Through Aug. 28, Mill Mountain Theatre, Center in the Square. 342-5740.