AA adherents gush over play about program founders

By Christine Kearney

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The first play about the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous is drawing standing ovations from followers of the venerable recovery program despite criticism that it idealizes its subject.

"Bill W. and Dr. Bob" explores the 1935 meeting and relationship between AA's founders, Wall Street analyst Bill Wilson and Ohio surgeon Bob Smith, both alcoholics who created the 12-step program that grew into a worldwide phenomenon.

Members of the association, founded on the belief that sharing experiences with fellow alcoholics leads to sobriety, have traveled to see the off-Broadway show from around the United States since it opened this month.

"It (the play) had a big impact for me and my own fight and as a result of the meeting of those men, how my life is free of the disease of alcoholism," said 60-year-old Steve F., who has stayed sober 29 years. He asked that his last name not be used, in keeping with the group's traditions.

Susan H., 66, sober 30 years, has traveled twice from Massachusetts to see the production. She said the opening line of the play, "My name's Bill W. and I'm an alcoholic" was met with audience members shouting back, "Hi Bill," in keeping with common practice at real meetings.

"That tells you there were a lot of program people there," she said. "But I think it would appeal to anyone."

'A GREAT AMERICAN SUCCESS STORY'

Some reviewers have been less kind.

Variety magazine said it was surprised that the play was not affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous: "Given the unstinting glory heaped ... on (the) protagonists, you'd think AA would be raising money for a national tour."

Co-writer Stephen Bergman, a former psychiatrist who specialized in treating alcoholics, described the play as "a great American success story of two guys who were going to die from alcohol."

"People within the program say it is like going to a great meeting," Bergman said. "They laugh a lot at all of the jokes because they can kind of laugh at the horror."

Janet Surrey, Bergman's wife and co-writer, said the play had brought new audiences to theater, including large groups of men.

The couple said they wanted to write an historically accurate play. Parts had to be fictionalized, but Alcoholics Anonymous gave them access to archived documents without officially endorsing the play.

A further aim was to break down any public misconceptions about AA created by the association's anonymity, as well as to make it relevant to a wider audience, said Surrey.

"It is about the question of what heals people in life, whether that is in therapy or just in life, and what keeps us going. And the power of the human connection in the face of suffering," she said.