THE 1041C Theater Reviews

I am afraid that this post may not be as critical as it probably should be, because I had a wonderful time watching the play and went in there with relatively low expectations. Once again, my expectations were shattered as the play really drew me in and kept me engaged throughout. I got the privilege to sit next to Professor Berkin during the whole play, and although I am usually distracted or bothered by such things, her colorful commentary added to the experience as a whole. I felt she brought up a bunch of really good and thought-provoking points.

One point she brought up that I must disagree with was that the addition of contemporary references into the play was unnecessary and tacky. I felt as though they added to the relevance and overall meaning of the play. The underlying themes such as race and change are prevalent in today’s society. I always feel that the main problems in most theater performances come from a disconnect or misinterpretation of the audience. There are never any real world or tangible problems and ideologies that we can relate to when we see older plays, and I find it hard to get as involved or interested. This wasn’t a problem at all in ‘A Free Man of Color’. The incorporation of modern forms of humor and issues that we have experienced really helped me get engaged. Keeping a young crowd so deeply entranced is quite an accomplishment.

Of course, the excellent acting itself helped as well. The convincing performance given by the actors was very well done. What really stood out to me was how dynamic the play itself was, and this required a great deal of awareness and skill from the actors. They were funny when they needed to be, and serious when it was required as well. Anyone can do this, but the fact that they made it overwhelmingly convincing and natural helped contribute to the characters and the play as a whole.

Overall, this play was not only enjoyable and informative, but provocative as well. Even though they do not exist to the extent that they did in the era of the play, race relations and the dynamism of society is an issue that still exists, and will most likely remain a timeless discussion and topic of dissent.