FringeNYC Previews

A December Eve's Visit with Frederick Demuth

Produced by Me, You & Eli

Author: Sylvia Ann Manning (SilviCol)

This play presents Frederick Demuth, born to Helene Demuth, who was servant to the family of Karl and Jenny Marx all her life.  Frederick, now 77, is pleased to have company on what would actually be his last Christmas Eve.  As he tries to prepare tea, he talks to us.We learn how the Marx family celebrated Christmas, with Karl's reading the story of Jesus' birth to the children.  Frederick, never included, imagines himself (and us) there. We learn why Frederick forgives the father who never acknowledged him.  We hear his private explanation for what caused Karl to care so much about the world, if nothing about the only one of his children who would live to see Marx's influence on the world. 

Doesn't it challenge the usual Christian notions to know that Marx liked Jesus, that he read the Nativity Story each year?  (Frederick knew this from his mother and from Tussy, Karl's youngest, Frederick's half sister.) Frederick lets us look back easily at what Marx understood about Capitalism, about surplus value, about how to develop paths of escape from economic oppression of people like him, a good worker (a dues-paying Socialist). Ralph Pochoda, who will play Frederick, remarks that "great men are forgiven great faults."  Frederick helps us understand why.  And why the servant, his mother, is the truly noble.

When both of two submitted plays to this year's Fringe Festival were accepted, I knew the practical thing would be to do just one.  (The other is Lucila:  a play for Gabriela Mistral.)  But when I thought of Frederick having a chance to speak, to reappear in the world, if you will, I couldn't but let him.  Even now there are some who insist that Karl Marx was not his father, and their efforts could erase him.

Sylvia Manning, playwright