![]() ![]() Thompson gave us rolling thunder.Īnd it’s that rolling thunder that defines this ominous play about the dissolution of familial and cultural ties despite these sisters’ urgent desire to stop the cultural hegemony of capitalism’s gentrification, redevelopment and Cultural homogenization. The family home was lit by Lighting Designer Michael Gilliam, who then gave us ritualistic lighting and sparkles during the climax.Ĭostumes by Dede Ayite enhanced each character, providing uniqueness and color, while Sound Designer Timothy M. The set of ‘The Blood Quilt’ designed by Michael Carnahan in the Kreeger Theater. Multi-leveled and sensuous, one could almost taste its rich landscape. Her design team was led by Set Designer Michael Carnahan, whose family home textured with quilts and earth tones and sea waves lapping at the pier created a fablesque quality to the play’s world. Kamilah Forbes directs this excellent cast with precision, creating both wonderful pacing and moments of pure remembrance. Bijou gives Zambia a charmingly disarming, insightfully articulate take on the totally messed up world of the adults around her. Played by Afi Bijou, this wise woman of the future adjusts to revelations of familial dirty laundry just as quickly as she does to the latest new operating system or Apple device. Davis fills the stage with her intelligence and, later, her unflinching loneliness.įinally, there is Zambia, the teenage texter, tweeterer, facebook friender, lol next generation Jernigan. She is the young professional, the 21st century “modern” woman with career, glitter, and lots of superficial relationships. The youngest daughter, Amber, played by Meeya Davis, is the odd sister out. (L to R) Tonye Patano (Clementine) and Meeya Davis (Amber). When she discovers her own mother’s betrayal, her heretofore calm nurse-like demeanor is overcome with loss. She gives this nurse and mother a firm hand and a deep love for her daughter. Third on this totem of family trees is Cassan, played by Nikiya Mathis. Clay’s skillful actress touch, would be impossible to imagine in a single character. A police officer by profession, Gio combines Tina Turner’s bawdy sexiness with a spiteful bitterness that, without Ms. Second eldest is Gio, played with bone-chilling authenticity by Caroline Clay. Whenever emotions threaten to wreck the annual quilt-making party, she welds her scepter and brings her unruly siblings back into focus. Tonye Patano plays Clementine, the eldest daughter, with rich authority and deep common sense. The five actresses who portray the Jernigan sisterhood (four sisters and one daughter of a sister) are as tightly woven together as the script. The uneven divide of the spoils only leads to fierce incriminations and threats of total familial dissolution. With their tyrannical mother no longer there to keep the lid on, sibling tensions soon boil over into a full fledged truth session, made only more raw by the unexpected reading of Mama Jernigan’s will. Her four daughters gather for the annual quilting ritual at the family home on an island off the Georgia coast, that still embodies the African roots of its ancestors. Hall begins its story three weeks after the death of the Jernigan family matriarch. Yes, this play deals with a family that any right thinking human being would want to disown in a heartbeat, if each and every one of them weren’t so damn loveable. Its intricate weave of character defining choices, pop culture references (everything from today’s celebrities to its Verizon versus T-Mobil commercials), emotionally draining monologues, and jokes–lots of jokes both situational and of the standup comedian variety–make The Blood Quilt a constantly engaging journey into the heartache of family dysfunction, survival, and dissolution. The Blood Quilt never shies away from the difficult to handle and, even if that issue has almost become cliché in our gossip-driven culture, Ms. ![]() It has complex love them/hate them characters it has socially relevant and culturally specific themes. Never underestimate the muscle of traditional theatrics. The Blood Quilt will leave you trembling with anticipation. It is a rich feast of language, insight, and beauty. The power of Hall’s script, the brilliance of its five-actor ensemble and Kamilah Forbes‘ direction, and the breathtaking aesthetics of the production’s scenography make The Blood Quilt a show no one should miss this spring. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |