So, I have just come back from the FABULOUS Brother/ Sisters plays at Company One! Disclaimer, due to family engagements, I was only able to see the last two, The Brothers Size and Marcus today. However, hopefully I’ll be able to see the first of the trilogy this week.
Alright, here we go. My first response coming away from the theatre, and sitting down to type, is that I was very moved. I had moments of elation, and moments where I hated the production. Yes! This is exciting stuff! The first of the two plays, The Brothers Size, started out with three young black men walking onstage chanting. Immeadiately my mind lept to slaves working in ryhthm. However, it quickly became apparent that the reference was only that, a reference; this play is set in a time with automobiles. Slavery is over, but it’s clear that these men are still enslaved. What they’re enslaved by starts to illuminate as the play progresses. I loved the choice to keep the repetition of the singing. The rhythm stayed constant, the song changed a bit time after time, but not significantly enough to become a new song. All I could think was how monotonously life was passing, as these men struggled with enormous matters of life and death.
However, I was lulled by some of this play’s monotony. I know that often a second play in a series of three can be the “weaker” play. Based on responses by friends who had seen the first play, this seemed the case. However, in a format such as this, where an audience potentially hasn’t seen play number one, play number two has to fight its hardest to keep from being the “slow” one. Starting my evening off with this even keeled play made me a little tired and fidgety. I was willing to cut the play some slack. It is gorgeously written, acted, and directed; I really don’t know where the “slow” came from. But nontheless, I was getting bored. In the words of my theatre companion, “everything was so smooth. I wanted something, anything jagged!” I think that was a great assessment.
Then Marcus started. And I WOKE UP. This play made me bounce in my seat with excitement. From the moment it bangs out the door, in a funeral procession of all not exciting things, Marcus was full of vitality. The characters knew exactly when to call each other out. They lept on their fantasies like it was the last train out of town. The play zig zagged from front porch drama to musical number to seduction to betrayal. Every moment felt huge enough for such huge subject matter. This play (and The Brothers Size as well) is about the conflict of sexuality and family. Sure I can sum it up in a few words, but these are explosive topics. I think the reason I responded so enthusiastically to Marcus as opposed to The Brother’s Size, was that Marcus was as big as its themes. Yes, I do want boas and divas! Yes, I do want showers onstage! Yes, I do want to hate that one character so much I could kick his scum bag ass through the back of the theatre! Yes!!!! Marcus was such a great example of an ensemble rising to the enormous script with equally enormous enthusiasm.
Also, our lovely Hampton Fluker deserves a HUGE shoutout! Wow, I was blown away by his work. He commands the stage, transforms into two distinct characters, and gives these “professional” actors a run for their money. Awesome work Hampton!
Moral of the story, see these plays!!!! And I have purposely used that many exclamation points in this review. Yes, I am that enthusiastic.
