As I suggested, I went to see Frost/Nixon last night. While I'd heard of the play I had initially assumed it was just a dramatization of the famous interviews. That's incorrect. It actually covers of all of the machinations which led up to the interviews, as well as the behind the scenes strategizing of Frost's gang in their attempt to get something more than fluff from Nixon.
The play addresses checkbook journalism, the role of the adversarial press, celebrity journalism, and of course Richard Nixon. Frank Langella is brilliant as Nixon. It isn't a sympathetic portrayal - it isn't designed to get our sympathies - but it does remind us that whatever his flaws, Nixon was a giant of a man compared with the doofus currently occupying the White House.
Years later, we see that we learned neither the lessons of Vietnam nor Watergate and that the Washington "Fred Hiatt" Establishment is much more invested in preserving its aristocracy than it was back then. Today, if Bush uttered the immortal line "When the President does it, that means that it's not illegal," that establishment would barely blink, let alone react with the horrified revulsion anyone who believes in our stated system of government should.
...adding, I see a decent amount of theater, and this is the best thing I've seen in quite some time. Really a great play, superb production, stellar cast. Mrs. A agrees.
