Review: Play Explores Batman's Creator

Batman is not only a superhero, but also one of the most beloved cultural icons of all time. There were the comics, the campy 1960s television series, a series of blockbuster movies, and endless amounts of merchandise. Everyone knows who Batman is and what he represents.

This came to mind when I was watching "Bill Finger: Rise of the Bat," an entertaining and well-acted story about the co-creator of this legendary figure.

For years, Bob Kane was known as THE creator of Batman. After decades of obscurity, Bill Finger finally earned the recognition he was due when he was no longer alive to savor it.

Writer/director Lenny Schwartz ("Ditko") not only pays affectionate tribute to the world of comics, but to the creative process and the psychological torments of artists.

The success of the play is mainly due to the focus on the relationship between Kane and Finger, two men with a lot of talent but very different temperaments.

Finger (Geoff Monti) is a humble, relatively easygoing writer who is hired to do some writing for Kane (Derek Laurendeau), who shows him a drawing of Batman.

Along with co-writer Jerry Robinson (Bailey Duarte), Finger develops a backstory for Batman, along with Bruce Wayne, and a collection of bizarre villains such as Joker, Penguin, and Catwoman.

Kane insists he is the sole creator of Batman, and Finger acquiesces until a lawyer (Geoff White) convinces him to fight to get the recognition he deserves.

Batman fights crime in Gotham City as a way of exorcising his inner demons resulting from the death of his parents. Finger seems to have drawn inspiration from his own life in order to create the character.

Finger and Kane, both Jewish, developed Batman in the 1930s, when Adolph Hitler was exterminating millions of Jews in a nationalistic crusade for racial purity.

Feeling threatened by this monstrous evil, Finger was inspired to create a man who would never back down, would never surrender, and would be a beacon of hope in a dark and cruel world.

Monti is convincing and sympathetic as Finger struggles with his own demons and attempts to become a stronger man.

Another terrific performance is from Laurendeau, who portrays Kane as cold-hearted and somewhat egomaniacal, refusing to share any of the glory with Finger after Batman becomes a phenomenon.

The play also dives into Finger's personal life, showing his relationships with his son Fred (Amber Serra, Timothy DeLisle) and wife Portia (Tonia Klemp). Finger is a heavy drinker and his shame about not being recognized as co-creator of Batman eats away at his soul.

Aaron Andrade (from the film "Higher Methods") appears sporadically as a narrator of Finger's story and also serves as his inner voice. It's a unique dramatic device and works well here.

Schwartz has tackled the world of comic book artists before, but never as self-confidently as here. The storytelling is so assured and thoughtful as to how it regards its characters and their motivations. Even if comic books are not your thing, this show will earn your admiration for the inventiveness of men like Bill Finger and Bob Kane, flawed as they were.

"Bill Finger: Rise of the Bat" runs through October 1 at RISE Playhouse. 142 Clinton St., Woonsocket, RI. Performances will also be held October 3, 4, and 5 at the Chain Theater in New York City. For tickets, visit ristage.org.