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Regional Reviews: San Francisco The Sunset Limited, The Red and Brown Water and
The Sunset Limited has been subtitled "A Novel on Dramatic Form"; it is barely traditional theatre because dialogue rather than acting drives this 95-minute, no intermission drama. This is thinking man's theatre that is reminiscent of Waiting for Godot> or My Dinner with Andre. White (Charles Dean), an atheistic professor, has attempted to throw himself from the platform toward an oncoming train. Black (Carl Lumbly), an ex-convict and evangelical Christian, has "saved" him from certain death. The play starts when Black invites White to his apartment where they discuss the meaning of human torment, the existence of God, and the decorum of White's endeavor to commit suicide. Black and White use the whole 95 minutes for a philosophical debate. White believes the afterlife is just a pack of lies—you are dead and that is it. There is no after life, according to the professor. He says, "I yearn for the darkness. I pray for death. Real death. If I thought that in death I would meet the people I've known in life I don't know what I'd do. That would be the ultimate horror," and he tells Black that is why he wanted to commit suicide. Black is a born again Christian who has "seen the light" after serving a prison sentence for murder (it is never revealed what kind of murder and who he killed). He talks about the power of love and about his own religious conversion. He attempts to convert the professor to no avail. You get the idea that somehow Black is really not sure about his own faith in God and love, especially when White goes on the attack to prove his nihilism is so powerful. Charles Dean and Carl Lumbly are superb in this drama of confrontation. Watching their timing, expressions, and their power is awesome. Carl Lumbly speaks the dialogue in a wonderfully poetic way, with the rhythm of a preacher preaching to his flock. This is vibrant acting on the part of a great actor. Charles Dean is breathtaking as White. He speaks his stimulating lines with a strident absence of hopelessness. It is a tour de force of brilliant acting that keeps the audience on their toes. The end does not hold any consolation for the audience. Director Bill English helms this fascinating confrontation of two characters. It is a mesmerizing psychological game that brings a forceful climax for each character. The interesting set by Bill English is a room that is not finished. At the end, the back stage lights up with tiny bulbs that look like stars, thanks to the lighting of Mandy Khoshnevisan. I detect some symbolism and I wondered if this was an apartment or some metaphysical place. The Sunset Limited runs through November 6th at SF Playhouse, 533 Sutter Street, San Francisco. For tickets call 415-677-9596 or visit www.sfplayhouse.org. Currently running as part of the Sandbox Series in the smaller theatre is the world premiere of Daniel Heath's Seven Days. Coming soon will be David Greenspan and Stephan Merritt's Coraline, opening in the big theatre on November 16 and running through January 15. Photo: Jessica Palopoli
Marin Theatre Company recently presented the first part of The Brother/Sister Plays. If you are a lover of cascades of beautiful words, this is the play for you. The drama is a work of rare lyricism by 29-year-old new playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney. The stunning prose about the demoralizing chronicle of a track star outrun by a hard life attack on the soul was superb, thanks to the acting of the ensemble and the direction of Ryan Rilette. In the Red and Brown Water, based loosely on Federico Garcia Lorca's 1934 tragedy Yerma, draws on a West-African source of Yoruba mythology as inspiration for the names and personalities of its characters. This is the story of Oya (Lakisha May), aptly named for the goddess of wind and fertility. The teenager is living in the projects in San Pere, Louisiana, and she has a chance to escape poverty with a track scholarship at a state university. However, her mother, Mama Moja (Nicol Foster), is terminally ill and Oya needs to stay and care for her mother. She is quickly replaced by the coach (Josh Schell) and dismissed as last year's star runner. Soon afterward, Oya's mother dies and the young girl retreats into the acidic torpor of the housing project. It is now impossible to obtain that scholarship so she opens her house to smooth-talking macho Shango (Aldo Billingslea), the neighborhood tough guy. She becomes obsessed with her infertility since it appears she is unable to bear a child after having miscarried. This is a metaphor for her diminishment. Shango eventually joins the army and Ogun (Ryan Vincent Anderson), a simple local mechanic, comes into the picture. He is totally in love with Oya, but Shango comes home on leave and becomes briefly her lover once again. In the end, there is a real shocker as she sacrifices part of her flesh and that sets her free from the life she has been leading. In the Red and Brown Water has some terrific memorable character, such as 16-year-old, good looking Elegba (Jared McNeill), whose criminal tendencies are limited to stealing chocolate from a local store run by O Li Roon (Josh Schell). The boy is seduced by Aunt Elegua (Dawn L. Troupe), an older woman who embraces her sexuality. Elegba later realizes that he is gay and starts an affair with local DJ, The Egungun (Daveed Diggs). And there are the superficial good time girls Shun (Jalene Goodwin) and Nia (Nicol Foster) who make fun of Oya. The performances were stupendous. Lakisha May (a recent graduate from A.C.T.) was outstanding as the tragic Oya, playing her as a sweet but sad character. Aldo Billingslea (local first-rate actor who has appeared in many regional roles) took over the role of Shango from Isaiah Johnson who left the company for the New York production of Merchant of Venice, and was riveting. He was big and powerful in the egotistical role of Oya's off-and-on lover. Jared McNeill (Pittsburgh actor who appeared in The Brothers Size and Fences) was captivating as the 16-year-old poetic Elegba who says such things as "Legba sneaks off behind the moon like a cloud, gone but still there." Ryan Vincent Anderson (member of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for several years) gave a splendid performance as the reliable, stuttering Ogun. Nicol Foster (many productions of the African American Shakespeare Company) successfully morphed from Mama Moja to the shallow Nia. Dawn L. Troupe (TheatreWorks productions of Caroline, or Change, Dessa Rose, Memphis) was perfect as the busybody Aunt Elegua. Daveed Diggs (Red Light Winter at Custom Made Theatre and A Civil War Christmas at TheatreWorks) came into his own playing the shifty DJ in the second act. He reeked of deviousness as he became the friend of Elegba. Jalene Goodwin's (The Golden Harp at Sacramento B Street Theatre) portrayal of the other superficial girl Shun was excellent. Josh Schell (Los Angeles actor, True West and Fool for Love) was very good playing the coach from State and O Li Roon, owner of the local grocery store. There are three elements that made this piece a theatrical experience, the first being the Nigerian fairy-tale background that gives the drama a natural, mystical depth. The second is the poetic writing of Tarell Alvin McCraney (Oya says "Shango, just speak your words and I'll be free/ Free from your coming, tasting me at night/ Me smelling you like somebody else/ Yeah, say it, unspell me Shango"), combined with a wonderful stage presentation, thanks to director Ryan Rilette on an almost bare stage. Costume Designer Lydia Tanji presented authentic costumes for the cast while scenic and lighting designer York Kennedy provided the right atmosphere for this magical play. The musical interludes were excellent, thanks to Zane Mark. In The Red and Brown Water closed on October 10 at the Marin Theatre Company, 397 Miller Ave. Mill Valley. Now running is Bill Cain's world premiere of 9 Circles, through November 7, and coming up is the West Coast premiere of Lucinda Coxon's comedy Happy Now? in the big theatre from November 11 through December 5. For tickets to these show please call 415-388-5208 or visit www.marintheatre.org.
Magic Theatre recently presented the second play of Tarell Alvin McCraney's trilogy The Brother/Sister Plays called The Brothers Size. The time has advanced from In Red and Brown Water in the Bayous country of Louisiana. Ogun, who now owns an auto repair shop, and Oshoosi, just out of prison, are trying to start fresh. Ogun is a hard working uptight older brother while Oshoosi is loose and just wants to have fun. The younger brother wants to buy a car and travel to unknown places. He wants see the world, especially since he read a picture book of Madagascar while serving time in the slammer. Ogun insists his brother work for him in the auto repair shop and also tries to keep the younger brother on the straight and narrow. However, Elegba, a sly and cynical criminal, comes into the life to lead Oshoosi off course. Elegba sees himself as Oshoosi's brother in spirit if not blood and wants to possess the younger brother for himself. Tarell Alvin McCraney's writing is incantatory. For seventy-five minutes the three actors dominated the three-sided stage with stage directions, descriptive passages, and highly rhythmic dialogue. Tobie Windham (Pasture of Heaven at Cal Shakes and A Christmas Carol at A.C.T.) gave a charismatic performance as the freedom-loving Oshoosi. At one moment he graphically demonstrated his sexual exploits and in the next he was talking about his loneliness and terror. Joshua Elijah Reese (Pittsburgh actor who played Elegba in The Brother Size) beautifully captured the decency, grief and generosity of the older Ogun. The two had a wonderful moment toward the end of the play with their rendition of Otis Redding's "Try a Little Tenderness," and the ending was searing and beautiful thanks to those two superb actors. Alex Ubokudo (recent graduate of A.C.T. Grad Acting Program) was perfect as the unsettling, sinister Elegba. He skillfully wreaked his slimy attempt to influence the naïve Oshoosi into a life of crime. There was a powerful moment when he attempted to seduce Oshoosi sexually that was very sensuous. Director Octavio Solis captured all of the richness and energy of the playwright's script on an almost bare stage, the comic needling between the two brothers and the beautiful moments of intense love and the painful memories of the brothers. Lighting by Sarah Sidman created a special mood for the drama on this bare stage. The Brothers Size closed on October 17 at the Magic Theatre, Building D, Fort Mason, San Francisco. Their next production will be Liz Duffy Adams's Or opening on November 4th and running through December 5. For tickets call 415-441-8822 or visit www.magictheatre.org. The third play of McCraney's The Brother/Sister Plays, Marcus or The Secret of Sweet, will play at the American Conservatory Theatre October 29 through November 21. You can call 415-749-2228 or visit www.BrotherSisterPlays.org for more information.
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