Sometimes the past is more intertwined with the present than you’d think, and more able to change it than you’d expect.
“Warsaw,” a new play by Paul Webb — a British playwright who wrote the screenplay for the 2015 movie “Selma” — explores just that kind of historical influence in its world premiere at International City Theatre.
In the play, the “present” is just after Sept. 11, 2001, in New York City. A doctor named Rachel (Anna Van Valin) has just placed an elderly female patient in a medically induced coma after she was brought to the hospital (its set effectively designed by Destiny Manewal) with severe injuries.
Rachel is also fielding calls on her flip phone from someone named David, who seems to be stalking her based on her tense admonishments to leave her alone. In between, though, she and priest Klaus (Bruce Nozick) strike up a friendly conversation outside the patient’s room about how he was shot during war and once decked three men in a bar.
The play unfolds slowly like this, asking the audience to piece together what might be driving these two characters. It’s a bit confusing, though, because Rachel alternates between being upset by David’s calls and chummily encouraging Klaus to divulge what happened in the bar.
We also see the elderly patient Krystyna (Suzanne Ford) in her imagination speaking to a psychologist (also played by Van Valin) about what she remembers of the accident, and also her past in Warsaw, Poland, during World War II.
Soon, David appears (played by Elias Scoufaras), who turns out to be Rachel’s rich fiancé whom she’s just dumped, for reasons that also unfold slowly, having to do with Rachel’s brother and 9/11.
And finally, Nicolas (Spencer Del Carmen) — the young man who was driving the truck that hit Krystyna’s car and caused her so much injury — arrives at the hospital to see her bearing flowers.
Slowly but surely, all these character threads combine, weaving together the tragedy of 9/11, forgiveness and what happened in Poland, Germany and Russia during World War II as it directly impacted two people — and how that affects these characters in the present.
Along the way, they voice opinions on healthcare, capitalism, tyrants and war (all drawing murmurs of approval from the audience on opening night), plus history lessons about World War II.
While the play is somewhat didactic in these ways, there is also lively dialogue and humor, and the ending is meaningful and moving. The acting — directed by International City Theatre’s artistic director, caryn desai — is also stellar.
Van Valin makes a convincing doctor hiding a deep hurt, Scoufaras embodies financier David in a tailored suit (costumes by Kim DeShazo reinforce each character well) and Del Carmen brings a delicate sweetness to young Nicolas.
Nozick is warm and natural as priest Klaus, hiding an old wound while humbly brushing off the bad-ass accomplishments Rachel tries to coax out of him. And Ford is simply ethereal as the slight but elegant Krystyna, capturing through voice and expression her character’s humor, wisdom and experience.
“Warsaw” is a traditional kind of drama in which character and narrative come together over the course of the play rather than up front, in ways both expected and unexpected, perhaps making its healing conclusion that much more resonant.
International City Theatre’s “Warsaw” continues through May 17 at the Beverly O’Neill Theater, 330 E. Seaside Way, with shows Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. For tickets and information, call the box office at 562-436-4610 or visit ICTLongBeach.org. Run time is 2 hours and 15 minutes, including intermission.