Review: ‘City of Conversation’ Sharp, Intelligent

This will sound like a fairy tale, but there was a time in the mid-20th century when politics in Washington, D.C., were conducted with some civility. No matter what disagreements occurred in committee meetings or Congressional debates, political adversaries could still gather for social occasions, chatting together and perhaps even nudging deals forward a little. Playwright Anthony Giardina explores this fabled time in his new play The City of Conversation, in a sharp, intelligent production directed by Doug Hughes that opened Monday night at Lincoln Center’s Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater. Using the experiences of one politically-involved Georgetown family over 30 years, Giardina depicts the sharp divide over social issues that hardened America into two rigid political camps. His compelling characters intensely discuss complex political ideals while remaining believable as people during their pitched family battles.