Though the actors have gone home and the picturesque set has been torn down, hopefully some residue of the drama department's recent production "Les Blancs" will remain. While Lorraine Hansberry's play, set in pre-independence Africa, deals with colonialism's complex repercussions, it also seems uncannily relevant to our own University community.
In this phase of U.Va history, when affirmative action, hate crimes and self-separation are hotbed issues, producing "Les Blancs" on the Culbreth main stage was a meaningful endeavor.
Timeliness, though, was only one thing "Les Blancs" had going for it. Tack on a powerhouse cast, a spectacular set, evocative lighting and some heart-stopping special effects, and you've got yourself a show which can make audiences both think and feel.
Yet, despite the show's intense potential, "Les Blancs" suffered some moments of flatness. In a scene in Act I, Tshembe Matoseh, the play's protagonist played by Ebenezer Quaye, and his brother Abioseh (Amdie Mengistu), are in a physical struggle, and Abioseh's outer robe is torn off to reveal a Christian priest's garments underneath. This revelation, which should have represented a huge discovery of brotherly betrayal and social upheaval, instead barely reached a crescendo.
Hansberry's play also is dialogue-heavy. As a result, many of the scenes lack shape. Much of the play's message is encoded in wordy discussions between Tshembe, a native African turned European traveler, and Charlie Morris (Chris Cannon), a visiting American reporter determined to single-handedly smooth things over. Unfortunately, much of the play's meat was thus trapped in scenes which, whether the fault of playwright, director or ensemble, tended to drag.
One of these instances of shameless vindication was Chapman Snowden's non-realistic performance of drunkenness in Act II. Though drunkenness is difficult to convey effectively, the research should have been easy to come by on any given bar night on the Corner.
Although Megan Bengur bore the heavy weight of portraying a blind character much older than herself as Madame Neilsen, her energy might have been better poured into vocal clarity and deeper characterization, rather than continually feeling her way around the stage by rheumatically shaking her cane.
Throughout the play, Tom Bloom's picturesque set and R. Lee Kelly's rich lighting design shone. Rough, natural materials added texture to the scenery. Looming, beautifully-shaped trees provided a mysterious forest from which characters could emerge, and a screen upstage served wonderfully as a background for skylighting effects in a myriad of colors.
Even the proscenium enhanced the feel of the production, resembling carved wood depicting shapes and animals like something out of a child's illustrated Kipling.
Though there were a few moments of imbalanced awkward staging, movement was more often used beautifully and powerfully. Choreographed dance sequences to drumbeats drew the audience into the African setting. As the play neared its climax, Tshembe vulnerably turned his back to the audience in exciting moments of sheer indecision and torment.
The scenes of violence at the end of the play were well accented by lighting, sound and gory effects; and the actors' guerilla-like costumes (costume design by Gwyneth West) enhanced the frightening picture of a combative uprising.
The play unfolded with interesting twists, and the audience seemed entranced for most of the ride. Powerful performances marked almost every scene, including a particularly passionate performance by Erin Stewart in her militant portrayal of Ngago near the end of the play. She seemed to address the whole audience with her cries and provided the sense that we, as spectators, were indeed involved.
"Les Blancs," while fairly epic in its span of character relationships, was made accessible to the audience by the cast's obvious hard work at understanding and integrating Hansberry's intricate story throughout every scene.
This production had an incredible ensemble feel because most of the play's performances were marked by complexity, revelation and shifting emotion. Gil Gonzalez was notable as Dr. Willy DeKoven, and Faith Hurley brought out the potential complexities of being straightforward in her portrayal of Dr. Marta Gotterling. The final production came off as more professional than amateurish.
The drama department's production of "Les Blancs" handled its subject matter with openness, fierce energy and grace, revealing that colonialism's consequences are far from simply dissolving into the heart of darkness. Though a connection between "Les Blancs" and the state of race relations at U.Va may be less apparent to some, I applaud the venture for its boldness, timeliness, sensitivity and quality.
In short, "Les Blancs" was worth seeing, but if you missed it, its subject matter is still worth talking about.
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