Bruckner’s Last Finale

Historical dramas are tough to get right. The facts must be honored, but real life seldom compresses neatly into two acts with climaxes and catharsis timed for maximum audience impact. Playwrights often succumb to urges to make the past artificially relevant to the present, becoming preachy, or stuff in scene-setting details that slow the pace and distract from the human saga that must supply the core of any play. "Bruckner's Last Finale" avoids these traps and may be Dick Reichman's best play to date. It's intelligently crafted, meticulously informed and unexpectedly funny.