In turbulent times, history itself becomes a source of suspenseful drama, as anxious citizens look to the past to predict what fresh hell is in store for them. “Hold These Truths,” a solo drama written by Jeanne Sakata and starring Ryun Yu, recounts one man’s experience of the national stain of Japanese internment during World War II. The drama, which opened Sunday at Pasadena Playhouse, seems to speak directly to current headlines about terrorism and President Trump’s controversial travel ban. But this history, in which national security is pitted against civil liberties, is always urgently relevant. Rhetorical flourishes at the beginning and end seem stilted, and the personality tidbits that are introduced feel a bit forced.

Source: Los Angeles Times June 05, 2017 23:37 UTC