Critiques For The Culture Archives

Critiques For The Culture: Falsettos

Critiques For The Culture | October 2, 2019

Topics: Casey Daniel Payne, Critiques For The Culture, Dan Cimo, Durron Marquis Tyre, Falsettos, Matt Shofner, Richmond Triangle Players, Robert B. Moss Theatre, Rowan Sharma

In Critiques For The Culture’s latest contribution to GayRVA, Taneasha White and Brooke Taylor review the Richmond Triangle Players’ Falsettos, a musical telling the comedic, dramatic story of a family turned upside down.

William Finn and James Lapine’s 1981 Falsettos is a musical set in the 1980s and early 90s. The story surrounds Marvin, played by Matt Shofner, and his family — ex-wife Trina, played by Casey Daniel Payne, and son Jason, played by Rowan Sharma, as well as Marvin’s boyfriend, Whizzer, played by Durron Marquis Tyre. The story tells of the difficulty Trina and Jason have adjusting to Marvin’s new life, and how Mendel, a psychiatrist and Trina’s new boyfriend played by Dan Cimo, fits into this new family.

We saw this show recently at Richmond Triangle Players, and from the opening song, we knew we were going to enjoy the show. “Four Jews in a Room Bitching” was just as festive as it sounds. By design, the opening number usually sets the tone for the rest of the show. The lyrics let us know that this show was going to have some self-awareness, some self-deprecating humor. themes about homosexuality, and jokes about Jewish people. Here’s what we thought!

*Photo by John MacLellan, via Richmond Triangle Players/Facebook*

Taneasha:

Because this was a musical written in the 1980s, there were some themes within some of the lyrics that made me cringe. For example, the lyric “I’d rather die than dry clean Marvin’s wedding gown,” from Trina’s song “I’m Breaking Down,” shows us two things. Firstly, that Trina still sees herself as the caretaker, even though she and Marvin are no longer together. Secondly, that she is somehow offended by the idea of her ex-husband showcasing anything that she could perceive as outside of masculinity.

This play dates from before bringing trauma-informed approaches and sensitivity to people’s identities was the norm — so it was acceptable to equate male gayness to femininity. We can chalk that up to this having been written in the 80s, but we also have to address that some of this ideology remains in society today.

There’s still a perception of queer men being softer (and by the way, I could write an entire dissertation on why that shouldn’t inherently be a bad thing), and queer women being rougher, and more “man-like.” Anytime I’m presented with that rigid adherence to the binary, I’m frustrated, but at the same time, I can give some room to the time period in which this was written. That doesn’t absolve the issue, but it definitely provides a good conversation point.

One of the more serious aspects of the show revolved around Whizzer contracting HIV, and it is hinted that he passed it to Marvin. This happens during the height of the AIDS crisis in the US, and I’m appreciative that this play showed a snapshot of what relationships had to endure during this time. Because that was not the main plotline, and you can only fit so much into two hours, they didn’t go as in-depth as you could. There were horrific circumstances for a lot of folks, especially folks within the LGBTQ community, during this time, making the title of epidemic anything but dramatic.

Falsettos drew you into this reality a bit, showing that the doctors were almost as scared and defeated as the patients, and that loved ones couldn’t do anything but make their partners and friends comfortable. Whizzer’s death was a sad section of this show, but definitely forced a reality check onto the audience.

Ratings:

Trina’s character was the strongest, and she was the lead woman. This show focused on gay folks and touched on the topic of the HIV/AIDS crisis that plagued our community in the late 80s/early 90s, which was monumentally important to address.

I appreciated the casting choices, especially Whizzer as a Black man — we know that it is easy to continue traditional casting, even if it doesn’t actually apply to the plot of the show, so I’m glad that Richmond Triangle Players stepped out a bit for this one. I appreciated it — and his voice was beautiful. I also loved the casting of an actual child for the role of Marvin’s son, Jason, played by Rowan Sharma. His performance was incredibly endearing, and I hope he continues to work in theatre as he gets older and develops his craft. 3 Black Fists.

I was entertained throughout the entire show. The casting choices were great — all of the characters were distinct and believable, and I appreciated the storytelling that was done. Ultimately I enjoyed the show. All of the characters were wonderfully portrayed and were believable. Trina seemed to be a crowd favorite. I would venture to say that folks involved in theatre have at least heard “I’m Breaking Down” at one point or another, and Payne definitely did a great performance of it. 4 Stars.

Brooke:

I am a little less enthusiastic about plays that are fully musicals. However, Falsettos was intriguing in nature and held my attention throughout. Knowing that this play gained notoriety in the late 80s/early 90s was helpful in understanding certain aspects of the play, yet some serious questions remain for me.

Question one: What type of job did the main character work so that he was able to financially support a housewife AND a househusband? He left for work everyday, was a self-proclaimed rich man, and accused Whizzer of only being interested in that part of him. Interestingly enough, when he returned from work, we heard nothing about his day. Where did you go, Marvin?

This is something that bugged me throughout the play, and the racial dynamics between Whizzer and Marvin added another layer of concern. Whizzer was the sexy man of color that was fetishized by Marvin, a familiar trope in queer circles. Marvin tried to cram Whizzer into a box that was never his to fit — and no amount of money can fix a situation like that.

Question two: Isn’t the knight in shining armor trope played out yet?

Even in a queer play, it seems that we cannot get away from writing roles for women that strip them of their agency. Trina was caught in a situation with Marvin and Whizzer that she did not consent to, and it seemed like Trina did not have much power to determine the dynamics of her home life. So, who will save the distressed princess in her tower of gloom? In rides Prince Charming! Except, Prince Charming is actually a therapist who manipulated his clients to ultimately get what he wanted — a marriage with Trina.

The play did show that Trina and Mendel’s relationship was not completely without challenges. However, the way that this couple ended up together was glossed over with plenty of humor and not enough reverence for the ways the Mendel betrayed his position of trust within their family. Trina was written as the helpless dame who is useless without a man taking care of her. I would love to see an adaption of Falsettos that makes Trina the main character and makes her viewpoint much more developed and complex.

Question three: What am I supposed to sympathize with Marvin about?

I often found myself wondering if other audience goers had the same view of the main character as I did. To me, he was a selfish person who “wanted it all” without fully realizing the amount of pain that he put the rest of the characters through. I can understand falling in love with someone new and feeling the whirlwind of emotions that accompanies that newness. I can also understand that Marvin still loved his wife (in some way) and did not want to disrupt the family stability for their son, Jason. However, I cannot sympathize with a character who never had an epiphany regarding the level of damage that he caused.

When Trina decides to divorce Marvin, he lashes out in anger. Once he has Whizzer to himself, they fight constantly and Marvin hurls insults his way. I do not believe that Marvin ever has a redemption from these manipulative moments, and it makes his character highly unlikable.

Ratings:

Critiques for the Culture: Trina and Whizzer were central to the plot but I would have liked to see more of a backstory for both. 2 Black Fists.

Overall: All of the actors performed very well. There were moments that stood out as amazing, like Casey Daniel Payne’s rendition of “I’m Breaking Down.” Overall, I enjoyed the entire experience and would recommend it to others. However, the content of the play should be adapted in future iterations to reflect women as being whole on their own — especially in a queer production. 3.5 Stars.

Tickets are still available for the final week of Falsettos, presented by Richmond Triangle Players. Performances will take place every night from Wednesday, October 2 through Saturday, October 5, starting at 8 PM, at the Robert B. Moss Theatre, located at 1300 Altamont Ave in Scott’s Addition. For tickets and additional info, visit rtriangle.org.

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Critiques For The Culture: Girlfriend

Critiques For The Culture | July 19, 2019

Topics: Cooper Sved, Critiques For The Culture, Girlfriend, Matthew Sweet, Ray Wrightstone, Richmond Triangle Players, Todd Almond

In Critiques For The Culture’s latest contribution to GayRVA, Taneasha White and Brooke Taylor review the Richmond Triangle Players’ Girlfriend, a love story about two young men coming of age in the 90s.

Girlfriend, written by Todd Almond and based on the 1991 album of the same name by alternative rocker Matthew Sweet, recently completed its run at Richmond Triangle Players. This pop-rock musical is based in Nebraska during the 1990’s, and centers on two new high school graduates. The young guys spend some time exploring their new found affection for each other, despite rural surroundings and traditional parents.

Our Ratings

Our Critiques for The Culture rating is based on representation of marginalized folks, showcased with our Black fists. Our overall rating is the quality of the play overall, independent of the representation that may or may not be there, represented with stars.

Brooke

My main criticism is with one of the primary story arcs of the show: The glamorization of red flags in relationships is a real problem for the LGBTQIA+ community, and the main character was the subject of manipulative tactics that we so often normalize. The audience chuckled every time that Mike, the straight-passing guy, mentioned his “out-of-town girlfriend,” but the “girlfriend” was nothing more than just a way to cover up his sexuality. This resulted in much of the emotional angst for Will, who ended up being the “undercover boyfriend” for a good portion of the show.

As easy as it is to write off manipulation in an ordinary coming of age story, it is important to call out: a relationship is not healthy if your partner forces you to hide or lie about your identity. Additionally, this show wasn’t unique when it came to casting choice — cis white gay men have quite a monopoly on Queer representation. 1.5 Black Fists.

This show was fun and light-hearted, reminding me of crushes that I had at a young age. Does she like me? Should I make the first move? How will I know? (Cue Whitney Houston.)

Girlfriend was an amusing play to watch. It did not take itself too seriously, which can be difficult to avoid in theatre. The live band was an added bonus, and the absence of an orchestra pit made the musicians feel like an integral part of the play’s structure. Even the choreography felt whimsical in nature. Cooper Sved’s portrayal of Will reminded me of Jordan Fisher from the 2018 live version of Rent! – very smooth in movements and line delivery. Ray Wrightstone’s characterization of Mike was brilliant, showcasing his ability to draw the audience into that classic teenage dating angst. Overall: 3.5 Stars

Taneasha

Richmond Triangle Players is the spot in the city where you can anticipate the plot of a show to be at least a little gay. That being said, when it comes to representation, this show didn’t exceed my expectations, because cis white guys tend to be the face of queer media. Luckily, there has been a lot of work being done to showcase the fullness of the queer community: the rise in popularity of TV shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race and Pose, or some of the central characters in Netflix’s Sense8 – but we could always use more.

I know that this show has been cast with white dudes in the past, but there’s always opportunity to shake things up, and ensure the art you’re putting out is representative of the community you’re serving. I’m always here for Queer stories that represent life, and I’m looking forward to seeing more of myself and the people I love within them. 2 Black Fists.

Sved and Wrightstone were adorable, and did a great job of making the audience feel all of those butterflies we feel when we have a crush. I appreciated how accurate the awkwardness was, and it definitely was cause for some high school reminiscing — all of the giggles, the slow hand-holds, stumbling over your words. I admit it: I love a good story arc that ends in gay love. Call me a sap if you wish, I accept it.

I also appreciated the musical arrangement of this show — it served as a thread that held the show together. There was a bit of very simple choreography, and it added to the natural, youthful feel of the show. It was very light on its own, and the upbeat music aided in keeping it that way. 4 Stars.

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Critiques For The Culture: Animal Control at Firehouse Theatre

Critiques For The Culture | July 16, 2019

Topics: Animal Control, Chandler Hubbard, Critiques For The Culture, Firehouse Theatre, Joel Bassin, Marcus-David Peters, Tommie the Dog

In Critiques For The Culture’s latest contribution to GayRVA, Taneasha White and Brooke Taylor review Firehouse Theatre’s production of Animal Control, a play that raises ethical questions around pet ownership.

Animal Control, written by Chandler Hubbard, made its second debut with a revised script at Richmond’s Firehouse Theatre this month. We had the opportunity to view one of their preview showings, thanks to director Joel Bassin. Animal Control follows Kim Hawkins, manager of the Carson City Pound, and discusses compassion, anger, and internal biases.

The care and consideration given to the dog in this story is unsettlingly reminiscent of the “Tommie the Dog” situation, making us wonder why the decision was made to host this particular play at this time.

For those that may have missed it, back in February a dog was tied to a fence and lit aflame in Abner Clay Park. The dog, nicknamed “Tommie” by those who rescued him, later died of his wounds. As a result of this heinous crime, the city rallied together to not only track down the person who committed the crime, but raised over $10,000 for an emergency veterinary care fund named the “Tommie Fund.” There’s nothing inherently wrong with this collective effort. However, the part that stings is that when it comes to Black and Brown folks who suffer violence or death in violent ways, especially in our city, a lot of those same people are quiet.

Our Ratings

*Photo by Bill Sigafoos, courtesy Firehouse Theatre*

Brooke

Animal Control takes the audience on an emotional trip around the ethical considerations of dog ownership. It drew very sharp emotions from me as both an animal lover and a Black person, as the dog in this play is the recipient of much emotional labor by the characters. He was abused as a puppy and has trust issues that cause him to act out aggressively towards others. Even though he has lashed out before, the animal control agency the play focuses on is compassionate enough to give him chance after chance.

I was left wondering many things. What if we treated human beings this same, considerate way? What if the first reaction wasn’t to use lethal force at the slightest provocation? What would our country look like if we truly considered the mental health of folks who have been labeled as aggressive? How would our lives be changed if actual courthouse trials lasted at least as long as this play — and weren’t pushed towards plea deals? What if our underserved youth had adults who believed in them as much as this dog’s owner?

While I fully believe that animals deserve chances to be understood, why can’t Black and Brown people command that same level of respect?

Oh, to have all the love (and rights) afforded an American dog. 2 Black Fists.

From a technical standpoint, the play was great! I loved the sensory elements that were incorporated (cigarette smoke, audible sounds of barking dogs and rain, wet jackets of characters, etc.) The lighting was fantastic — aiding in the development of drama and tension through the acts of the play. 4 Stars.

Taneasha

Animal Control attempted to shine a light on the biases that people have, showcasing the owner of the aggressive dog as a cliche rural white man with a mullet, clad in cut off plaid and dirty blue jeans. We see that this character is actually very compassionate, and his care and fear show up in anger. The show gave an example of the complexity of anger, and how we shouldn’t assume people’s intentions and capabilities based on their appearance.

The bigger takeaway for me? White people care a whole lot about animals.

Watching people care more for animals than people who look like you is both a regular and an oppressive reality for Black and Brown people in America. Social media blows up when we get wind of another Black person killed, and I take note of who is vocal about what should happen and who is to blame. Folks who have been silent while folks are slain in the street, when Black trans women go missing and end up dead, are always too busy when asked to show up to a rally for our community. Yet those same folks were up in arms when the Tommie the Dog situation occurred. Suddenly, they had the time to post their own calls to action on social media. Suddenly, they had enough room in their budget to raise thousands of dollars in two days. Ten days after Tommie was found, Virginia politicians passed Tommie’s Law, making animal cruelty a felony in Virginia. Ten days.

Meanwhile, when Marcus-David Peters was shot and killed during a mental health episode on the highway by the Richmond Police, the advocacy group Justice and Reformation For Marcus-David Peters pushed for the Marcus Alert, which would, according to Justice And Reformation, “support mental health professionals as first responders to possible or confirmed mental health crises, rather than police officers trained to use deadly force.” It was met with silence. Peters has been gone over a year, and there has yet to be any progress made. If we don’t value the lives of animals over the lives of people of color, explain that fact to me. 1.5 Black fists.

In reference to the quality of the show overall, I was highly impressed by the details of the show. On either side of the stage, there were gates. This is where the characters that would be primary in the next act would stand right before the end of intermission, giving you an idea of the tension and feelings that would come up when the show resumed. The lighting was great, and added to the emotionality showcased by the actors on stage. It was very evident that all of the moving pieces of this show were taken into account, making it an all-encompassing experience. 4 stars.

Animal Control is currently playing at Firehouse Theatre, and will close on Saturday, July 27. For showtimes and tickets, go to animalcontrol2.bpt.me.

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We talk about movies and TV on WRIR 97.3 every Friday at 10am, and WRWK (The Work FM) 93.9 FM every Friday at 7pm.

Top Photo by Bill Sigafoos, courtesy Firehouse Theatre

Critiques For The Culture: Strange Negotiations

Critiques For The Culture | July 11, 2019

Topics: Brandon Vedder, Critiques For The Culture, David Bazan, Grace Street Theater, pedro The Lion, Strange Negotiations

In Critiques For The Culture’s latest contribution to GayRVA, Taneasha White and Brooke Taylor examine the documentary Strange Negotiations, which tells the story of singer-songwriter David Bazan’s spiritual journey.

Critiques for The Culture is a conversational podcast and radio show (on WRIR and WRWK) that focuses on the socio-political themes found within current movies, TV, and plays — covering all with humor. Hosted by two Black Queer folks of varying opinion, Critiques for The Culture aims to dissect our media, point out where we aren’t represented, and say what the rest of us are thinking. Taneasha and Brooke make up the CFC duo — a couple of Black Queer folks who love their community, and love watching TV and movies.

Strange Negotiations came to Richmond on June 25, when the film was screened at Grace Street Theater and accompanied by a post-film Q&A. This music-focused documentary, directed by Brandon Vedder, traversed several different themes surrounding music, discovery, and faith in the life of David Bazan, lead singer of Pedro the Lion. Scenes of Bazan traveling across the country doing shows were strung together by confessional-style interviews over a soundtrack of his music.

Many know Pedro the Lion as a Christian rock band, and many others know the Christian religion to be notoriously unforgiving. The film showcases the way Bazan struggles to reconcile these things, taking you on a journey through his musical and religious beginnings. It ends with where he is now, and how he has managed to keep most of his die-hard fans sans Christian faith.

Bazan was captured in the documentary doing a lot of wrestling with his faith, as a lot of us do, when it rubs up against something you know within your gut is true. The only explicitly political example given, however, was the 2016 presidential election.

The election of 45 proved to be a catalyst for action for a lot of folks, and a flashlight for others. The singer-songwriter had spent essentially his whole life writing songs to extrapolate upon these themes that he’d been taught, and the election of a demagogue and the subsequent violence and outright hatred likely felt opposite to what he had come to understand. As people of faith, we understand this internal struggle. How can you identify with something that so many use as reasoning for their outright hatred?

Bazan chose to step away completely, realizing he did not believe in the way he once thought and said during the after-film talkback, “Moving away from assuredness[… ]is pretty destabilizing.”

Our Ratings

Taneasha

“[…] At face value, I wonder how much minority representation will be present, as the director and subject are both straight-passing, white-passing men of Christian faith. However, Vedder said that the making of this film has made space for his “… own [Christian] identity to be questioned and poked at,” and that is the part that I’m excited about. Part of Critiques for The Culture’s mission is to get underneath what is initially seen, challenge some of these norms, and dig into what folks are often afraid to say. I’m hoping that this film does the work of challenging some of the stifling ideals that follow the louder voices we see so often in spaces […]”

Bazan was portrayed as a quiet, but emotional man, caring deeply to be involved with his family, but also to pursue what he deems as his calling. He needed time to figure out where he was supposed to be, and how he was supposed to bring this truth to the masses. There was minimal discussion about his wife and how she felt, with the primary point of negative emotion coming at the height of his alcoholism.

Though Vedder stated that his direction remained from one perspective on purpose, I wish that his wife had more of a role. I would have loved to know more about her journey, her opportunities (or lack thereof) to process her own religiosity, and how this worked in tandem with her husband.

In reference to some of the more political themes, my original hope around challenging some of the problematic ideals of the Christian far-right were only partially addressed by the film itself. Bazan spoke more candidly about white supremacy during the talkback and regularly does on his social media, but it feels as though some of these conversations were left out of the film on purpose.

The indie singer said that he wants to, “[…] stay in his own lane,” when it comes to speaking in public forums around topics like racism and sexism, because while he knows that they are the crux of what enabled 45 to gain the presidency, he feels that he doesn’t have the knowledge to illuminate others in the way he would like. Even so, there could have been more candid discussion around the -isms and the phobias that propelled this tyrant into office.

Bazan is having these culture change conversations in comfortable company; Vedder could have utilized his award-winning status to elevate these talks, utilizing the privilege that he and Bazan both have to be direct in who they are talking about and what can be done to change things in 2020. 1 Black Fist.

This film did a great job of capturing the internal struggle that Bazan went through, which highlighted the ways folks may cope in difficult situations. Throwing yourself into your work, consistently doubt yourself and those around you, engage in substance and/or alcohol abuse– all common negative ways of coping, unfortunately. I appreciated the capture of these struggles within the film, and the honesty that Bazan brought along with it. 3.5 Stars.

Brooke

“[…]Who are we, really, when we rip away the veil of religion and are forced to look into the mirror for ourselves? […] A big unknown is the amount of diversity that will be seen in this film. While it is very important to produce coming-of-age stories, I wonder if we will learn about the marginalized people in David Bazan’s life, and how they impacted his journey. Will this film be a Eurocentric, narrow scoped documentary that fails to incorporate the rest of the world, or will intersectionality take a central role?”

I went into watching this film wondering if I would enjoy it, and I left surprised by the amount of engagement I felt. I greatly appreciate Bazan, as he seems like a very thoughtful man, and was willing to answer every probing question from the crowd (including those from yours truly). Though Christian Rock is not my genre of choice, the film actually made me want to listen to some of his music.

Strange Negotiations exceeded my expectations, because it speaks greatly to the questions of: Who are we and why we are here? What do we do with the beliefs and values we are given? It gave room to analyze the intersections of Christianity and whiteness in America. The film flirted with introducing other cultural perspectives, but none were focused on. While Christianity was under the microscope, the film also highlighted some white male privilege, as wanderlust is not something that we all have an opportunity to explore. 2 Black Fists.

Two primary themes arose during the film: the struggle between both religion and spirituality, and faith and indoctrination. We’re in a time where many folks (especially our younger generation) are realizing that they can be spiritual without adhering to a specific religion. To me, spirituality means that one has a connection to a divine power.

Many folks are walking away from religion (Christianity) because they’ve identified a major gap between its theory and praxis. We exist in a time when the political “Christian” right is perpetrating unimaginable human rights infractions — like keeping children in cages. A true analysis of Christianity would find that Jesus himself cared much more about individual relationships and community than adhering to a rulebook. At times, he even challenged what was written with a common-sense application of how we should treat each other as human beings.

Every person should go through the process of interrogating their beliefs, whether they are faith-based or not. I do not believe that God wants us to devote our lives to anything we haven’t fully studied or explored. There is a difference between truly believing something in your heart and just blindly following leaders and institutions. Strange Negotiations tackles this, showing us one man’s journey through his complicated labyrinth of emotions while seeking truth, finding a way outside of what he’s always been told. Bazan said, “In the end, I realized I was challenging nothing more than an institution.” Wise words. 3.5 Stars.

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We talk about movies and TV on WRIR 97.3 every Friday at 10am, and WRWK (The Work FM) 93.9 FM every Friday at 7pm.

Faith, Film, And Music: Strange Negotiations Comes To Richmond

Critiques For The Culture | June 24, 2019

Topics: Brandon Vedder, Critiques For The Culture, David Bazan, Grace Street Theater, pedro The Lion, Strange Negotiations

Focusing on the spiritual journey of David Bazan, aka Pedro The Lion, Strange Negotiations comes to the Grace Street Theater tomorrow night. The writers behind Critiques For The Culture are intrigued.

Strange Negotiations is a new music documentary directed by award-winning filmmaker Brandon Vedder, and it is coming to Richmond this week. This documentary traverses several themes surrounding music, discovery, and faith in the life of David Bazan, aka Pedro the Lion. It will be shown at our very own Grace Street Theatre on Tuesday evening, June 25, at 7pm. A Q&A with David Bazan and Brandon Vedder will follow the film.

What Caught Our Attention?

Taneasha:

I’m looking forward to seeing an indie film that has been brought to Richmond. We all can get very comfortable here in our RVA bubble, and I think it’s great when folks from outside of our quarters can come through to shake things up. Being a fan of documentaries, especially those that follow a person’s personal journey, I’m interested in learning more about Bazan’s connection to his faith through the people he’s seen and the interactions he’s had on tour.

At face value, I wonder how much minority representation will be present, as the director and subject are both straight-passing, white-passing men of Christian faith. However, Vedder said that the making of this film has made space for his “… own [Christian] identity to be questioned and poked at,” and that is the part that I’m excited about. Part of Critiques for The Culture’s mission is to get underneath what is initially seen, challenge some of these norms, and dig into what folks are often afraid to say. I’m hoping that this film does the work of challenging some of the stifling ideals that follow the louder voices we see so often in spaces.

Brooke:

I’m interested in this film because it promises to highlight crucial themes that we often don’t dive deeply into: Who are we, really, when we rip away the veil of religion and are forced to look into the mirror for ourselves? Will we like who we see? Will we break away from our familiar beliefs? How will we continue to live in a world that tells us that tradition is king, once we begin to question those cherished traditions?

A big unknown is the amount of diversity that will be seen in this film. While it is very important to produce coming-of-age stories, I wonder if we will learn about the marginalized people in David Bazan’s life, and how they impacted his journey. Will this film be a Eurocentric, narrow-scope documentary that fails to incorporate the rest of the world, or will intersectionality take a central role?

More information about the film screening can be found on their Facebook event, and tickets, which are priced at $22.50, can be purchased on Eventbrite. Grace Street Theater is located at 934 W. Grace St, on VCU Campus.

Critiques For The Culture: TheatreLAB’s An Octoroon

Critiques For The Culture | May 30, 2019

Topics: An Octoroon, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Critiques For The Culture, Dr. Tawnya Pettiford-Wates, The Conciliation Project, theatre reviews, Theatrelab, WRIR, WRWK

In Critiques For The Culture’s latest contribution to GayRVA, Taneasha White and Brooke Taylor examine TheatreLAB’s An Octoroon, and ask: Did this play about racial relations in the 19th century — and today — achieve its intended goal?

Critiques for The Culture is committed to uplifting the voice of the marginalized. We aim to discuss representation (or lack thereof) within present media, and invite you all to be a part of the conversation. Our critiques revolve around TV shows, movies and documentaries. In order to engage the local community, we have decided to venture beyond the airwaves and begin covering local plays for GayRVA.

An Octoroon
Written by: Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Directed by: Dr. Tawnya Pettiford-Wates

An Octoroon premiered in 2014 as an adaptation of Irish playwright Dion Boucicault original, The Octoroon, which premiered in 1859.

There is definitely a lot to this show. The main plotline, which provides the reason for the title of the play, surrounds one of the main characters, Zoe, and the discovery that she has Black blood in her ancestry. Though no longer used in present-day conversation, the term “octoroon” refers to someone who is one-eighth Black and therefore eligible for sale. There are multiple men vying for Zoe’s attention, resulting in the attempted sale of herself, and her family’s estate.

Another plotline in the play focuses on Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, his personal struggle to adapt to the racism found within theatre culture, and his desire to stage this play in tandem with the racial themes that arise. An additional plotline is that of the Native American Wahnotee and the young Black character Paul, which showcases racial profiling and latent biases within the criminal justice system.

After speaking with the director, Dr. Tawyna Pettiford-Wates, and watching the show, it was evident that audience discomfort as a means to incite discussion was a primary goal for this show. For those who are unfamiliar with either this text or the work of Pettiford-Wates, the minstrel style of the show likely came as a shock, especially considering the recent discovery our Governor’s disappointing but unsurprising past.

Pettiford-Wates is both familiar and comfortable with minstrelsy as a genre, using this style as the crux of her company, The Conciliation Project. She says that through this method, we are able to “…peel away the layers of race, historic racism, and systems of oppression.”

Our Ratings

Taneasha

For me, the best part of the show was the lead actor getting down to Crime Mob’s “Knuck If You Buck.” For those who are unaware, this is the unequivocal Black Millennial throwdown song. If it plays in public, everyone in the space is obligated to dance. It did what it was supposed to do, as far as getting the attention of the folks’ in the audience, but did it happen in the way it was intended?

We’re familiar with the concept of shucking and jiving, and while in 2019 we may not call it that anymore, there is still the idea that people of color are only good for entertainment — whether it be rapping, dancing, or throwing a ball. While the scene resonated with me, it was unclear if that clarity was consistent for the rest of the folks in the audience. This show is meant to act as a mirror, showing the audience more clearly how they have been perceiving others around them. I was left wondering if the non-Black folks in the audience saw their biases in the mirror, or if they just saw others laughing at the physical and outlandish humor that was presented.

As someone who works in activist spaces, I concur with the idea that spaces need to be carved out to have difficult conversations. I just wonder if the white folks in the audience picked up what the director was putting down, or if they just thought they were laughing at some clumsy negroes, witnessing enslaved women mirror the way they perceive Black women in America anyway.

As Black people in America, we are abundantly aware of our history in this country. I struggle with the notion that utilizing slapstick humor, the N-word, and imagery of lynched bodies is the way that change occurs. There was a scene towards the end where they flashed a real photo of a Black man who had been lynched. Though it aimed to serve as symbolism, it leaned towards trauma porn for me, as Black folks in the US are consistently bombarded with imagery of dead Black bodies. Social media has become the vehicle for modern-day lynchings, allowing images and video of those who have been murdered, via police brutality or otherwise, to circulate with speed, and with little censoring.

We know that during the time of legal lynchings, white folks used the imagery for postcards. They gathered their families around the trees from which our ancestors swung. They kept souvenirs of the dismembered. So again, the question is: who is this really for, and are these methods that you’re using plausible for that goal? 2.5 Black Fists.

I was drawn to the concept of “Black artistry,” as opposed to general artistry by someone who is Black. This topic arose in the very beginning of the show, when Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’s character repeated that he was a Black playwright. Oftentimes, folks of color or of gender/sexuality outside of white or cis/het norms are categorized into a box, and given accolades based on those titles, rather than the talent as a whole. Instead of being seen as a great pianist who is Black, we’re titled a “A Great Black Pianist,” as if the threshold is different outside of whiteness.

The acting was well done. I appreciated the adherence to the style of minstrelsy. The rules of present-day theatre are different than that of the melodramas of previous centuries — we’re used to more natural blocking of characters, rather than the actors purposefully turning to face the audience head-on each time they speak. The music cues during each entrance and exit proved very humorous, and added a light element to the show. All of the characters were purposefully over the top to fit the style, and I applaud them all for doing so believably. 3.5 Stars.

Brooke

The best-laid plans often go awry.

The play featured three enslaved women who all had darker complexions, and unfortunately their characters fell directly into common stereotypes of Black women: loud, inappropriate, and lewd. While the style of the play is minstrel, the depiction was not only uncomfortable but unnecessary, in my opinion.

Dido and Minnie were the two primary enslaved women that were shown, with Grace as a third that was presented later in the play. Dido and Minnie had more than one casually light conversation poking fun at the misfortunes of others on the plantation, or the prospect of other’s families being broken through the sale of persons. The topic of “sex” with a slave-owner arose, and they discussed which white men they would like to seduce — not to mention penis size.

For those of us who are familiar with African-American history, we can conclude that this is a scene that is meant to act as a mirror. Enslaved women were seen as salacious and insatiable, to the point where it was literally not legally possible to rape a Black woman in captivity. The notion was that Black women always want “sex,” regardless of how it is acquired, so there would be no point in debating whether the interaction was wrong. We are also familiar with the tropes of the “Welfare Queen,” “Angry Black Woman,” etc. So the laissez-faire attitude that was presented by Dido, Minnie, and Grace were caricatures of White America’s perception of Black women.

The prevailing issue, however, is that it probably wasn’t clear to a more far-reaching audience. For those that laughed at the conversations about “riding the Master”, it makes me wonder if they simply thought they were watching a live-action version of Jerry Springer, not a complex interrogation of race relations in America. Two Black Fists.

Making the audience uncomfortable was the director’s main goal. Mission accomplished.

Yet, I struggle to see the call to action. Having difficult conversations is a huge part of my chosen work in the world — it isn’t something I will ever shy away from. At the end of those conversations, however, everyone should be made aware of their role in the conflict and have action items for moving forward. Aside from the clear critique of using Native Americans as mascots, I failed to see these pieces within the show.

Perhaps this show and ones like it are simply meant to provide the spark for the conversation. I can respect that, but I ultimately feel that there was a disconnect between the intention and the impact. Black folks shouldn’t have to be re-traumatized (whether in the audience or on stage) in order for our white counterparts to potentially be rattled into action.

From a technical standpoint, the show seemed to be executed without a hitch. The music, lighting, stage props, and overall atmosphere were presented very well. I appreciated the multimedia approach that was taken. The actors’ performances were also great and their chemistry on stage was evident. 2.5 Stars.

TheatreLAB is known for pushing boundaries, representation of marginalized communities, and starting conversations — this play did not disappoint. There are still tickets left for the remaining shows, and this Friday, there will be a talkback discussion after the showing. Don’t miss it!

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