'No Walls' is more debate than drama
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Published on 11/9/2007
By David Brooks Andrews
If you haven't read a biography of George Washington recently, or thought much about him within the context of his times, you may have forgotten that he was a slaveholder. It's not exactly the image that was presented to us as grade-schoolers!
At age 11, he had inherited 10 slaves from his father. And by the time of his death in 1799, he owned 318 slaves — some were purchased and others were part of his wife's dowry.
This history is the basis for "A House with No Walls" by Thomas Gibbons, which is being performed by the New Repertory Theatre, as part of a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere. That means the play is having a series of openings at different theaters across the country over a year's time.
The New Rep has had a wonderful tradition of performing plays about African-American culture and race relations on a fairly regular basis. One such play that they produced was Mr. Gibbons' "Permanent Collection," about race within the context of an art museum choosing between European and African art.
Mr. Gibbon's new play, "No Walls," is loosely based on a March 2002 discovery of slaves' quarters in the backyard of the Philadelphia home where George Washington lived while he was president. A group demanded that a slave memorial be constructed alongside the museum celebrating George Washington.
The play leaps back and forth between this protest and the lives of Martha Washington's slaves, Ona and her brother Austin Judge.
If you haven't read a biography of George Washington recently, or thought much about him within the context of his times, you may have forgotten that he was a slaveholder. It's not exactly the image that was presented to us as grade-schoolers!
At age 11, he had inherited 10 slaves from his father. And by the time of his death in 1799, he owned 318 slaves — some were purchased and others were part of his wife's dowry.
This history is the basis for "A House with No Walls" by Thomas Gibbons, which is being performed by the New Repertory Theatre, as part of a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere. That means the play is having a series of openings at different theaters across the country over a year's time.
The New Rep has had a wonderful tradition of performing plays about African-American culture and race relations on a fairly regular basis. One such play that they produced was Mr. Gibbons' "Permanent Collection," about race within the context of an art museum choosing between European and African art.
Mr. Gibbon's new play, "No Walls," is loosely based on a March 2002 discovery of slaves' quarters in the backyard of the Philadelphia home where George Washington lived while he was president. A group demanded that a slave memorial be constructed alongside the museum celebrating George Washington.
The play leaps back and forth between this protest and the lives of Martha Washington's slaves, Ona and her brother Austin Judge.
'No Walls' is more debate than drama
By David Brooks Andrews
If you haven't read a biography of George Washington recently, or thought much about him within the context of his times, you may have forgotten that he was a slaveholder. It's not exactly the image that was presented to us as grade-schoolers!
At age 11, he had inherited 10 slaves from his father. And by the time of his death in 1799, he owned 318 slaves — some were purchased and others were part of his wife's dowry.
This history is the basis for "A House with No Walls" by Thomas Gibbons, which is being performed by the New Repertory Theatre, as part of a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere. That means the play is having a series of openings at different theaters across the country over a year's time.
The New Rep has had a wonderful tradition of performing plays about African-American culture and race relations on a fairly regular basis. One such play that they produced was Mr. Gibbons' "Permanent Collection," about race within the context of an art museum choosing between European and African art.
Mr. Gibbon's new play, "No Walls," is loosely based on a March 2002 discovery of slaves' quarters in the backyard of the Philadelphia home where George Washington lived while he was president. A group demanded that a slave memorial be constructed alongside the museum celebrating George Washington.
The play leaps back and forth between this protest and the lives of Martha Washington's slaves, Ona and her brother Austin Judge.
This sounds like rich, promising material for a drama, but sadly much of it feels more like a staged essay or debate than engaging theater. The play shifts back and forth from speeches that are much too didactic to scenes that feel as if they are about to take off dramatically, but never quite do.
The New Rep has been very good about staging new works, which is a risky business but is important to keeping theater alive. It's hard to believe that the problems with this play didn't leap out during the selection process.
That doesn't mean there aren't compelling performances in New Rep's production of "No Walls." The problem is with the writing much more than the acting. Johnny Lee Davenport as Salif Camara, a life-long African-American civil rights leader with roots deep in the 1960s, brings tremendous life to the stage. He has a rich voice that he uses like a black gospel minister, with wonderful rhythm and shifts in volume, as he fights passionately for building a memorial to slavery. Most of all he understands and exudes the spirit of his character in a way that lights up the stage.
His character is up against Cadence Lane, an African-American scholar who has converted to the Republican Party and gives voice to the conservative arguments primarily that blacks are preventing themselves from moving forward by hanging on to their tragic past. Having the character written and performed by Riddick Marie as if she's a stand-in for Condoleezza Rice makes sense in one way, but it doesn't help an argument that's already hard to wrap one's heart around. Mr. Davenport's Salif is much more compelling.
Michael Kaye as Allen Rosen, a liberal-minded historian, comes across more as an actor playing a role than an historian, although he creates a pleasant, likeable, albeit waffling, character. It's a little hard to believe that Allen and Cadence would resume their romantic relationship at this point in the course of events.
Kortney Adams and Jason Bowen both do a lovely job playing Ona and Austin Judge, Martha Washington's slaves. Ms. Adams' Ona grows from a tentative young woman who's surreptitiously teaching herself to read to one who's courageous enough to make plans to flee. Ms. Adams makes her believable and appealing, while giving her an uneducated accent with a Southern touch.
Mr. Bowen's Austin has a sweet, dreamy innocence about him, exemplified in the model boat he carves and pretends to sail across the waves.
Sometimes, these two characters are on the stage at the same time as the modern characters, underscoring the interconnections of history. But good drama calls for more of a clash of characters and not merely a clash of ideas. Director Lois Roach does as well with her actors as she can, given the limitations of the script.
The most effective element of Cristina Todesco's set is the rope that Salif and Allen wrap around four pegs to delineate the small house where nine of President Washington's slaves lived. The partial log walls on the sides of the stage reflect the play's title, referring to the fact that the slaves' masters could walk through their quarters at any time.
Unfortunately, the play's ending tends to drag on. Though it presents thought-provoking ideas, this play would have benefited from more development before sending it out on a rolling world premiere.
"A House With No Walls"
What: A play by Thomas Gibbons about George Washington's slaves and how they should be remembered today.
Where: New Repertory Theatre, Arsenal Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal St., Watertown.
When: Through Nov. 18.
Tickets: Range from $35 to $55 and can be purchased by calling (617) 923-8487 or by going online to www.newrep.org.
Bounce back
If you haven't read a biography of George Washington recently, or thought much about him within the context of his times, you may have forgotten that he was a slaveholder. It's not exactly the image that was presented to us as grade-schoolers!
At age 11, he had inherited 10 slaves from his father. And by the time of his death in 1799, he owned 318 slaves — some were purchased and others were part of his wife's dowry.
This history is the basis for "A House with No Walls" by Thomas Gibbons, which is being performed by the New Repertory Theatre, as part of a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere. That means the play is having a series of openings at different theaters across the country over a year's time.
The New Rep has had a wonderful tradition of performing plays about African-American culture and race relations on a fairly regular basis. One such play that they produced was Mr. Gibbons' "Permanent Collection," about race within the context of an art museum choosing between European and African art.
Mr. Gibbon's new play, "No Walls," is loosely based on a March 2002 discovery of slaves' quarters in the backyard of the Philadelphia home where George Washington lived while he was president. A group demanded that a slave memorial be constructed alongside the museum celebrating George Washington.
The play leaps back and forth between this protest and the lives of Martha Washington's slaves, Ona and her brother Austin Judge.
This sounds like rich, promising material for a drama, but sadly much of it feels more like a staged essay or debate than engaging theater. The play shifts back and forth from speeches that are much too didactic to scenes that feel as if they are about to take off dramatically, but never quite do.
The New Rep has been very good about staging new works, which is a risky business but is important to keeping theater alive. It's hard to believe that the problems with this play didn't leap out during the selection process.
That doesn't mean there aren't compelling performances in New Rep's production of "No Walls." The problem is with the writing much more than the acting. Johnny Lee Davenport as Salif Camara, a life-long African-American civil rights leader with roots deep in the 1960s, brings tremendous life to the stage. He has a rich voice that he uses like a black gospel minister, with wonderful rhythm and shifts in volume, as he fights passionately for building a memorial to slavery. Most of all he understands and exudes the spirit of his character in a way that lights up the stage.
His character is up against Cadence Lane, an African-American scholar who has converted to the Republican Party and gives voice to the conservative arguments primarily that blacks are preventing themselves from moving forward by hanging on to their tragic past. Having the character written and performed by Riddick Marie as if she's a stand-in for Condoleezza Rice makes sense in one way, but it doesn't help an argument that's already hard to wrap one's heart around. Mr. Davenport's Salif is much more compelling.
Michael Kaye as Allen Rosen, a liberal-minded historian, comes across more as an actor playing a role than an historian, although he creates a pleasant, likeable, albeit waffling, character. It's a little hard to believe that Allen and Cadence would resume their romantic relationship at this point in the course of events.
Kortney Adams and Jason Bowen both do a lovely job playing Ona and Austin Judge, Martha Washington's slaves. Ms. Adams' Ona grows from a tentative young woman who's surreptitiously teaching herself to read to one who's courageous enough to make plans to flee. Ms. Adams makes her believable and appealing, while giving her an uneducated accent with a Southern touch.
Mr. Bowen's Austin has a sweet, dreamy innocence about him, exemplified in the model boat he carves and pretends to sail across the waves.
Sometimes, these two characters are on the stage at the same time as the modern characters, underscoring the interconnections of history. But good drama calls for more of a clash of characters and not merely a clash of ideas. Director Lois Roach does as well with her actors as she can, given the limitations of the script.
The most effective element of Cristina Todesco's set is the rope that Salif and Allen wrap around four pegs to delineate the small house where nine of President Washington's slaves lived. The partial log walls on the sides of the stage reflect the play's title, referring to the fact that the slaves' masters could walk through their quarters at any time.
Unfortunately, the play's ending tends to drag on. Though it presents thought-provoking ideas, this play would have benefited from more development before sending it out on a rolling world premiere.
"A House With No Walls"
What: A play by Thomas Gibbons about George Washington's slaves and how they should be remembered today.
Where: New Repertory Theatre, Arsenal Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal St., Watertown.
When: Through Nov. 18.
Tickets: Range from $35 to $55 and can be purchased by calling (617) 923-8487 or by going online to www.newrep.org.
Bounce back