Chicago Fringe Opera’s “Hindsight” is a harrowing retell of Leopold and Loeb
Newspapers called it “the crime of the century.” Although teenagers Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb failed in their goal of committing “the perfect crime,” the duo’s murder of 14-year-old Kenwood boy Bobby Franks still fascinates us one hundred years later, inspiring countless dramatic retellings.
Chicago Fringe Opera, in collaboration with /kor/ productions, put the murderers’ twisted, codependent relationship under the microscope Friday night with the world premiere of Hindsight, a one-act chamber opera by composer Felix Jarrar and librettist Bea Goodwin. With only two singing characters and a pair of instrumentalists (piano and clarinet), Hindsight is almost claustrophobic in its narrow focus, heightening the psychological drama and making some scenes supremely uncomfortable to witness. The intimate venue—a small black box theater at Chicago Dramatists in West Town—further intensified this feeling.
Jarrar’s score opens with a jaunty, jazz-inflected overture. The use of clarinet was brilliantly effective in setting the opera in 1924, the same year Gershwin wrote Rhapsody in Blue with its famous openingclarinet glissando. Jarrar’s score is melodically appealing and largely vocally flattering for the two leads, giving each a substantial aria. Much of the score stays within the neo-Romantic sound world, with touches of jazz and blues for color. These blithe jazzy riffs often occur during the most skin-crawling dramatic moments, creating a disturbing incongruity. One could imagine the score eventually being orchestrated for a larger ensemble, though the scope Jarrar managed to capture with such limited resources was impressive.
In her libretto, Goodwin focuses more on the psychological dynamic between the characters than the events. There is an assumption that the audience will know the story coming in, and the action is relayed quite quickly after a lengthy exposition on the duo’s relationship. You may want to read the Leopold and Loeb Wikipedia page before attending, particularly as the digital program booklet is relatively sparse.
Before the murder occurs, there is a long build up, with Leopold and Loeb each singing an allegorical aria to illuminate their character. Leopold is made a more sympathetic figure in his aria about birdwatching, although there is still a sinister undertone as he pelts a baby bird taking flight with a spitball. Loeb, on the other hand, is more overtly evil, as he compares winding a clock to being like God, culminating in the harrowing line, “Man’s ultimate power is to play God in a man’s final hour.”
Reuben L. Lillie was a powerful vocal and dramatic presence as Leopold. His characterization as an infatuated puppy dog under Loeb’s spell was thoroughly convincing. Possessing a solid vocal technique and ringing tenor voice, Lillie was particularly stirring in his final anguished cries of guilt, though his voice might be better suited to a larger space.
As Loeb, baritone Lucas Bouk’s softer, duskier voice did not have the same vocal presence as Lillie’s, which slightly undermined his position as the leader in this power dynamic. However, his acting chops more than made up for any vocal imbalance, especially as the opera went on and the extent of his sadism became more apparent. (It should be noted that Bouk started his singing career as a mezzo and only began his physical and vocal transition with testosterone during the pandemic. It will be interesting to see how his instrument continues to settle and richen.)
Hindsight seeks to answer the century-old question of what motivated this seemingly random crime. The libretto seems to suggest a heady mix of self-loathing, repression, and feelings of racial and intellectual superiority contributed to the act. The opera centers the duo’s suspected physical relationship and the psychological and sexual manipulation that went on between them. As such, there are depictions of simulated sexual content, which, though disturbing given the context, were done tastefully.
Playing upstage in waistcoats and pageboy hats, pianist Imogen Smith and clarinetist Theresa Lams had dual roles as both the orchestra and actors. Lams, whose expressive clarinet playing throughout the night was a highlight, also gave multiple paperboy announcements to facilitate the plot—tasks she balanced with aplomb.
Smith also appeared briefly in a spoken role as Mr. Franks, the murdered boy’s father. From the piano, Smith acted as the de facto conductor of the evening and impressed with sensitive playing and the rich sound eked out of the electronic keyboard.
As Bobby Franks, Austin Farms had a largely silent role, which saw him meandering around the theater with his nose in a book. The actual murder scene was a bit confounding, as director Johanna Moffitt decided to do a more figurative representation of the act than a literal one, almost like a slow-motion dance. There was no visible struggle, and Farms even had to help put the gag around his mouth. It might have been more harrowing and effective if the murder had been inferred offstage.
Nonetheless, Hindsight provides a chilling retelling of the infamous Leopold and Loeb story, forcing the audience to confront unsettling questions about power, sexual obsession, and the depths of human depravity.
Hindsight runs through November 9. chicagofringeopera.com
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