Northlight's solid 'Butler' examines a key Civil War moment

Which Union military man was so reviled by the Confederacy that chamber pots were manufactured with his image on the inside? That would be Benjamin “Beast” Butler, the lawyer, politician and major general whose radical interpretation of the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act figures prominently into Richard Strand's 2014 play “Butler.”

Skokie's Northlight Theatre makes a strong case for “Butler,” a contained Civil War drama now featuring fine performances in its local premiere. Yet for a play that hinges so heavily on semantics and interpretations of words and laws, the generic title isn't the best fit - especially since it suggests a figure more likely found in a British murder mystery.

Plus, the title is too broad for the play's narrow focus; “Butler” would have been far more appropriate for an epic TV series than one short chapter in a complicated man's life.

Title aside, the play zeros in on Butler's crucial involvement during a real-life incident in May of 1861. That's when the Union's newly appointed Major General Butler - a contradictory historical figure who supported Confederate leader Jefferson Davis before the war - had to decide the fates of three runaway slaves who sought asylum in the Union-held Fort Monroe in Virginia.

The play is a solid dramatic imagining of historic facts tinged with humor. “Butler” prods audiences to contemplate what's at stake not only for the play's characters, but also for the war-torn nation at large.

Strand's set up is strong as it weaves in exposition and period details while also painting a picture of the difficult Butler (Greg Vinkler). Much is made of how Butler dresses down the resentful Lieutenant Kelly (Nate Burger) over procedural missteps and military protocol.

But when the determined slave Shepard Mallory (Tosin Morohunfola) enters the scene, Butler is both perplexed and intrigued by this man who defies expectations and stereotypes. Mallory forcefully requests that he and his fellow escapees join the Union Army, even though the law-respecting Butler points out that there's no legal mechanism to allow him to do so.

For modern audiences watching with historical hindsight, the reinterpretation of laws to seek the most desirable outcome can seem obvious. But Strand relishes making his characters agonize and argue about what is right while also taking enormous risks - particularly when the Confederate Major Cary (Tim Monsion) visits Fort Monroe with the intent of reclaiming Mallory and his two unseen comrades.

Under Stuart Carden's direction, the entire cast serves up endearing portraits of people who gradually come to realize that their actions will have enormous implications. The ensemble also skillfully navigates Strand's fact-packed script. They keep the focus on the characters' conflicts and let the audience ponder how Butler's reasoned thinking arguably played a part in helping to turn the war's tide.

You don't have to be a U.S. history buff to enjoy “Butler” and to contemplate how one incident became a significant step away from American slavery. Northlight's entertaining and educational production works on multiple levels, even if “Butler's” moniker can be misleading.