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Review January 2014
Searching for WILLIE LYNCH Play

By Jay Whipple

Trend Magazine Online™

Willie Lynch Play Review Pic

Of the four plays that I have reviewed thus far from the 2013 National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, NC, last summer (2013); this was the most intriguing in terms of form. It was written and directed by Mr. Layon Gray and produced by his New York-based Layon Gray American Theatre Company which he founded just last May of 2013. This play was the company's inaugural production and centers on an alleged letter read by a Slave owner named Willie Lynch on the James River in the colony of Virginia in 1712. The subject of that letter was a method of teaching Slave owners to keep their Blacks divided for - some say - 300 years; however, the letter states for centuries to come. This play was a chronicle of three Black families that lived in the same house in 1925, 1965, and 2008, respectively. Their lives were explored through a door that served as a portal into the past and future of Blacks in America.

Willie Lynch Play Review Pic

As a student of history who has developed several tours centered on Black history in the Charlotte and Greensboro, NC, areas; I made sure that this was an event that I would not miss. The venue for the play's eight-member cast was the Hanesbrand Theatre/Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts which is located within walking distance from the host Downtown Marriott Hotel. I arrived, on foot, at approximately 2:10 PM for the 3 PM matinee on Friday August 2, 2013, and because the bus was running behind schedule. I beat the bus and crowd there by well over 15 minutes. Upon observation I was once again impressed that there were white folks in the audience for this historic play. The doors were opened at approximately 2:30 PM to relieve the lobby which starting to get a bit crowded. This was the only venue that served concessions before, during intermission, and after the play. The theatre was very clean, neat, and quaint with one column of escalating seats and a mezzanine area upstairs. I sat center-stage on the third row because the first two were reserved for dignitaries and sponsors. The bottom floor was full; but I was not able to survey the upstairs area because I did not want to lose my prime seat.

Willie Lynch Play Review Pic

The set consisted of one beige sofa, a coffee table, a rocking chair on stage right, a small round table with two chairs on stage left; a four-drawer dresser with lamp and coat rack, a door, a flower on stage right, and black steel stove on stage left. The play began at around 3:05 PM with the members of each of the families running through the house. The use of the "N" word was in play. The 2nd family (1965) took the stage in a scene whose period was three days after the assassination of Civil Rights Leader Malcolm Little ("X") with very good dialogue and fluid theatrical exchanges. The 3rd family (2008) then took the stage in a scene whose period was the day of the first election of President Barack H. Obama in November of that same year. The 1st family (1925) then took to the stage in a scene whose period was not made clear - at least not to this writer.

Willie Lynch Play Review Pic

Next, all three families took to the stage, however, in scenes that overlapped each other based on their particular era in the house. This was when I realized that this was no ordinary play in terms of form. The next scene brought back the 3rd family which consisted of a father and his son who begins to lay down their family's history. The 1st family (Husband and wife) then returned to the stage (via the door/portal) in a scene that established that he had just been shot by someone during a robbery attempt. Next up was the 2nd family (Husband and wife) in a similar scene that established that he had been robbed at gun point. This is when everyone's attention began to sharpen so as to not miss any important detail or clue. Now enter the 3rd family in a scene that establishes that they are about to be evicted by their landlord who wants to sell the home. It was now intermission at approximately 3:50 PM. I decided to resist the temptation of getting some of that aromatic popcorn and/or a hotdog, and used my time to make a pit stop in the relief station.

Willie Lynch Play Review Pic

After intermission the 1st and 2nd families were featured on stage in a brilliant singing scene that once again stretched the audience's imagination. Next up was the 3rd family in a sad scene that establishes that the son's friend had been molested by his own father who died shortly thereafter. He was hit by a drunk driver. They also questioned the validity of the alleged Willie Lynch letter. Next all three families are back on stage singing the same Afrikaans song and it turns out that the new owner of the home is actually related to them as they discovered during the song which had been passed down from generation to generation. Next up was a very strange but motivational scene that climaxed with an epiphany conveyed by the son literally rising -- as a phoenix - above the coffee table. Needless to say a deal was worked out between the new owner/relative and the 3rd family. Families 1 and 2 then re-entered the stage via the door/portal and the play ended (At 4:55 PM) with harmony and a promise, and received a standing ovation from the audience.

Willie Lynch Play Review Pic

Upon reflecting on this truly unique play that challenged the attention span of the entire audience from start to finish; I am quite impressed at the precision in which the actors entered and exited the stage performing each scene without any noticeable fault. I am not sure if Mr. Gray is the originator of this style performance or if it has a name, however, it was indeed a brilliant work of art reminiscent of the movie Pulp Fiction (1994) and the T.V. series Hill Street Blues (1981 - 1987) that both employed the same overlapping style performances. My only criticism about this type performance is that it can become a bit confusing towards the climax if one does not pay extremely close attention to every scene and dialogue.

I was also elated that the cast members made themselves available for picture taking and conversation after their stella performance!

This play was produced by the Layon Gray American Theatre Company of NYC. Find them in CBP's Black Pages Worldwide™



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