Opening night at the Cloverdale Playhouse's provocative production of The Farnsworth Invention [2007, Broadway] played to an appreciative full house as it told the fact-based story of a young boy-genius in his quest to get funding and then credit and patents for designing the first working all-electric television system.
Challenged and bullied for years by merciless radio mogul David Sarnoff [Chris Roquemore], Philo T. Farnsworth [Jason Grinstead] is the flawed but sympathetic underdog of the piece; but audience allegiances shift between the two combatants over the two-hour playing time due to convincing arguments for both sides.
Director and Scenic Designer J. Scott Grinstead leads them and a 13-member acting ensemble, all of whom play multiple roles, through Aaron Sorkin's signature fast-paced dialogue inherent in such titles as The West Wing and The Social Network, on his brilliantly conceived multi-leveled and surprise-filled flexibly changing set that is enhanced by Sarah Kay Grinstead's atmospheric lighting.
A major challenge of Sorkin's script is making narrative structure and extended monologues dramatically interesting. Despite occasionally hesitant delivery, both Mr. Roquemore and Mr. Grinstead speak them with such significant conviction and commitment beyond just informational details, that we rarely hear only factual exposition.
And the dramatized episodes including an assortment of characters [family and friends, business associates, film stars, scientists, and hangers-on] complete the journey of Farnsworth's experiments, setbacks, and successes supplemented by Sarnoff's manipulation of money and influence to thwart his opponent at every turn.
The conflict between a powerful moneyed media Goliath and a brilliant well-intentioned David resonates so pointedly today as we watch with frustration at the world we live in.
The Farnsworth Invention is thoughtful and challenging and has audiences talking long after the curtain comes down. Just what good theatre ought to do.
