Adrien Brody’s Star Turn Propels the Sense of Injustice in ‘The Fear of 13’

Last fall, Broadway welcomed a West End transfer called “Punch,” a new play based on the memoir of a man who spent 14 months in prison after accidentally killing another fellow. “The Fear of 13,” another British import that just opened at the James Earl Jones Theatre, is also inspired by a true story, but in this case, the crime was grislier and the punishment far more severe — although not as extreme as it would have been, had the convict not been exonerated.Nick Yarris served more than two decades on death row in Pennsylvania after being found guilty of the rape and murder of a woman he had allegedly abducted from the parking lot of a Delaware shopping mall in 1981. Repeated appeals failed until Mr. Yarris learned of a then-new development called DNA testing; two rounds of that procedure proved inconclusive, though, and it wasn’t until 2003 that he was absolved of guilt.American playwright Lindsey Ferrentino, whose previous credits include acclaimed off-Broadway productions and the recent, ill-fated musical “The Queen of Versailles,” adapted “Fear of 13” from a 2015 documentary of the same title, one of several accounts that have established Mr. Yarris, who has also drawn from his experiences to write books, as an admired storyteller. In this staging, as in London, he is played by Adrien Brody, a two-time Oscar winner, for “The Brutalist” and “The Pianist,” making his Broadway debut.Mr. Brody is joined here by another Broadway newcomer, Tessa Thompson, whose own notable film credits include the title role in “Hedda,” last year’s adaptation of Ibsen’s classic “Hedda Gabler.” Ms. Thompson is cast as Jacki Miles, a character based on the volunteer who visited Mr. Yarris in prison and eventually married him.Director David Cromer, who has guided both movie star vehicles and intimate ensemble pieces with great dexterity, has surrounded these stars with a collection of robust supporting players who juggle various parts. Ephraim Sykes, known primarily for his dazzling musical theater skills, and Michael Cavinder are particularly moving as two longtime friends whose bond grows fiercer and more tender when they’re imprisoned together. The characters take part in a choir that provides a few stunning a cappella performances. These harmonious reprieves only underline the abject misery endured by Nick and the other prisoners. Joel Marsh Garland plays a corpulent guard who endlessly berates and intimidates them; Jeb Kreager turns up as an even more sadistic lieutenant who first greets Nick by luring him into opening his mouth — the condemned men are not allowed to talk at first, even quietly — and then gut-punching him. The scenes between Mr. Brody and Ms. Thompson pose a marked contrast, threatening to veer, oddly, into rom-com territory as Nick and Jacki become closer, despite her misgivings. They discuss favorite books; he teases her for having “Cheers” and “Seinfeld” on in the background when they talk on the phone. “I don’t know why, but I picture our toothbrushes touching,” she confides in the audience. “They stand next to each other every night.”Then, after a cute wedding, Ms. Ferrentino’s script takes another sharp turn as the couple suffers through a parade of obstacles in their quest for justice. There is —spoiler alert — no happily-ever-after for the pair, and even after Mr. Yarris is finally granted freedom, the playwright presents a harrowing depiction of the horrific incident that set Nick on a dangerous path as a boy, followed by yet another sentimental twist.Mr. Brody, to his great credit, manages these shifts with extraordinary ease, delivering a portrait that is both physically and emotionally propulsive without ever resorting to overstatement. Using his lean, rangy body to express both resilience and vulnerability, the actor makes Nick charismatic and deeply human, as credible in the flashes of humor he uses in part to sustain himself as he is in his bursts of frustration and despair.Ms. Thompson, unfortunately, proves a less dynamic presence. Though the actress has off-Broadway and regional theater experience, her speaking and gestures can seem oddly muted on this vast stage; you almost worry she’ll disappear into Arnulfo Maldonado’s sparse, stark scenic design. The performance only gains vibrancy, ironically, as Jacki loses hope, and Ms. Thompson more vividly charts her growing sense of defeat.“The Fear of 13” works best as a showcase for its leading man and excellent featured actors. For all its bumps and quirks, the play also reminds us both of how new advancements have served the criminal justice system in recent decades, and that this progress remains incomplete.

Adrien Brody’s Star Turn Propels the Sense of Injustice in ‘The Fear of 13’

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