Reviewed by Tony Annicone

The second show of GAMM Theatre’s 35th season is the New England premiere of “JQA” by Aaron Posner. “JQA” tells the story about the sixth president of the United States, John Quincy Adams. It unfolds in nine separate scenes and although it is the history of the man, Posner makes it applicable to current events. And it is a brilliant and excellently written play. Riveting and electrifying, the play shows great depth and emotion and isn’t dry as dust as one would expect from historical plays. It also has some famous people who knew JQA in each of the scenes including his father, John Adams, President George Washington, his British born wife, Louisa, his mother, Abigail Adams, his Secretary of State Henry Clay, his successor, Andrew Jackson, abolitionist Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. Director Tony Estrella casts this show with four strong performers to play multiple roles including each of them playing JQA himself. The adage “Do good and be good is required of every man in power” is told to JQA by his mother on her deathbed. And that is the lesson that needed to be learned back in the 1800’s as it needs to be learned now. Honor and dignity are what leaders of nations need back then and especially nowadays, too.

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