Simply Brilliant

31 May 2010



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Mamet's "Race" Sizzles on Broadway

David Mamet is one of America's greatest living writers. If "Speed the Plow" and "Glengarry Glenross" don't convince, then visiting the Ethel Barrymore theatre on West 47th Street this summer is mandatory. "Race," which is playing there, is one of the most witty, challenging and beautifully written pieces on Broadway. Moreover, the cast of Richard Thomas, David Alan Grier, Kerry Washington and James Spader performs the piece flawlessly.

The action takes place in a lawyers' office in any city USA. A billionaire, played by Mr. Thomas, stands accused of raping a black woman. One of the law partners is a black male (Mr. Grier), and the firm's bright new star is a black female (Ms. Washington). The debate about whether to take the case, whether to talk to the media, and ultimately, how Americans still treat their original sin of slavery and its aftermath make this a riveting piece of theatre.

There is no stand-out performance. There is no tour de force part. This isn't "Richard III" or "Hamlet" in that regard. This is written as an ensemble piece in which each actor has a moment of raw honesty that either sinks or swims based on thespian talent and training. Each is more than up to the challenge.

What is most interesting about the current production is the mixed audience. Naturally, one expects a New York house to be diverse. However, in this instance, the subject matter could well make people uncomfortable, and indeed, that was probably Mr. Mamet's intention. Yet, the audience remains engaged throughout because he addresses race in America without preaching. At worst, he says all Americans are full of crap when it comes to race. White folks' crap just happens to differ from black folks' crap. It is a piece that asks the audience to go talk about it afterwards; it is not a piece that claims to understand and resolve a grand social issue.

With a running time of 100 minutes, including a 12-minute intermission, the play is quick although not short. It takes as much time as it needs to tell the story, but it doesn't bother with padding it out to a full 2 hours. This is unapologetic theatre, and it is a breath of fresh air (along with "Fences") for Broadway right now. While Disney may be the anchor of the industry (and one ought to be thankful to the mouse that fills the house), it is good to know that Broadway still produces theatre for grown-ups.

© Copyright 2010 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Ubuntu Linux.

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