| re: Question re: Once On This Island revival - a white Daniel? | |
| Posted by: ntjvy 06:46 pm EST 02/07/18 | |
| In reply to: re: Question re: Once On This Island revival - a white Daniel? - Chazwaza 05:04 pm EST 02/07/18 | |
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| I hear what you're saying, yes, I do think it confuses it, but maybe not in a bad way. It is evident in the script that Daniel is of African and French descent. Looking at Powell, he may read as "white" to some, but they are then confronted with the script that says that this character is not in fact entirely of European descent and is not living the life congruent to someone who is entirely European. To me, this is an excellent opportunity that Arden created to push our thinking, and at a time where the dialog about race feels urgent. One would have to really be avoiding any critical thought to just accept Daniel as white in this context and think of it as a plot hole, or to not think about it at all. Race is a social construct and so is how we understand it. Even the fact that we are looking at this as a conflict within two different black communities, even though one of those communities has significant French (white) heritage, is indicative of that. I think that Powell's casting here can push that construct a bit, in a good way. Blackness isn't about pigmentation, it's about heritage, culture and the way in which one experiences the world due to all of the factors that come along with the construction of race. When you introduce colorism into the conversation, it's even more complex. That is true in Haiti, that is true here, and it's something that I've thought a bit more about since seeing this production. I don't think it muddies the production, I think it enhances it and I appreciate it. |
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