The Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s production of Ayad Akhtar’s The Invisible Hand marks the auspicious beginning of a four-play partnership between the company and playwright. The story follows American investment banker, Nick (Tom Coiner), through his imprisonment by a Muslim group in Pakistan who allow him to work off his own ransom by playing the stock market. The writing is riveting, the performances superb and the production itself a manifestation of that so-hard-to-achieve balance between astute socio-political dialogue and genuinely good storytelling. The playwright and company’s stated focal points—the collision of cultures, the lengths to which individuals go to survive and the effects of money on human morality—are given the very best treatment: one dependent on fully realized, fully human characters.
As the American, Coiner is sympathetic. Under Lucie Tiberghien’s direction, the actor convincingly portrays a man under unimaginable strain who maintains his sanity, ironically, by putting his skills to use aiding his captors. His power is his knowledge of money making and the effects of teaching his primary captor, Bashir (Shalin Agarwal), to trade are devastating.
Agarwal is engrossing as Bashir, a Pakistani Englishman who has moved to his parents’ native home aiming to revolutionize the country’s political system. Ruthless and single minded in his goal, he nevertheless shows tremendous depth of thought and emotion as well as a moral consistency we cannot help but respect.
As his leader, Imam Saleem, Tony Mirrcandani brings gravitas to a story otherwise populated by young men. His beliefs are honed by decades of direct experience of Western imposition and the nigh-impossible battle with entrenched corruption within his own country. His unflappable calm and well-concealed greed are deeply disturbing, and his indictment of America, incisive.
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Finally, as Dar, the foot soldier—and essentially slave—of both Saleem and Bashir, Owais Ahmed is breathtaking. Dar is the story’s true tragic hero. Limited by a lack of education and English language proficiency and forced to kill for those who abuse him, he is by far the most marginalized of the four. Ahmed brings dignity and humanity to his downward arc from cautious optimism in human kindness to complete withdrawal into self when it becomes clear he will receive no mercy from those he serves.
Production elements are unobtrusive and effective. Of particular note is Victoria Deiorio’s sound design, which conveys the unremitting hostility of the surroundings through the omnipresent buzz of drones interspersed with the faint popping sounds of their costly strikes.
Through April 3 at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s Stiemke Studio, 108 E. Wells St. For tickets, call 414-224-9490 or visit milwaukeerep.com.
