I've Just Seen the Next Judi Dench and She's African-American

I voted for President Obama but I'm still a white fifty-six-year-old writer who might not be expected to "do" empathy with African-American folk gods. So why was I so fully invested in -- and enjoying every minute of -- the New York premiere of Trickster at the Gate?

This "black play" about African myth (and/or faith depending one your point of view) transposed to post-slavery (twentieth century) America is currently an off, off Broadway production staged in a spare rehearsal studio so minimalist that it might just as well be produced on the sidewalk. (At just $18 for the ticket who's complaining?)

The Yoruba God Esu Elegba (Amanda Bailey) has been sentenced to live the life of a mortal African-American woman in the 20th Century. We follow the incarnation of the Yoruba god from her youth to old age in a series of deftly devised flashbacks woven into a conversation with a young woman (Renee Threatte) who is Yoruba's only friend.The play -- by John Patrick Bray -- takes us from the Harlem Renaissance, to the mystical realms of African gods, to present day Louisiana.

Do gods die? If you believe you are a god are you a god? If the white man says your African god is dead and tells you to pray to St. Peter instead, does it still count? If there is a god, or gods, is he/she/it nice, or sometimes an implacable enemy? What happens when a god rents a room from you?

Having seen this production I left knowing two things:

First; I'd just seen a captivating cross-cultural (often funny) play that transcends (what some might dismiss as "trendy") race issues and enters into that place all art dwells: the core mystery of human spiritual experience. In Trickster that "core" is found in the borderland between spirituality and madness. Second; I just happen to be one of the lucky few to see the first play in New York starring the -- as of yet -- unknown actor Amanda Bailey. This young woman won't be unknown long.

Someday I'll tell my grandchildren that I was there when Ms. Bailey -- America's new and powerful answer to Judi Dench -- launched her career. Bailey 's role calls for her to transform from the young (and in love) god to a fetchingly vulnerable deity, from old and sly to suffering/lost, from godlike (yet all-too human) to wrestling with death and the beyond. Bailey does all this in the confines of a small production she transforms in a rage-filled, despairing and slyly playful manner worthy of John Gielgud playing Prospero.

Trickster at the Gate shines because of director Daniel Horrigan's tight understated direction and clever staging in the tiny confines. The play is good but the cast is great.

Dancers Valencia King and Sarita Louise Moore fill the room and provide an illusion of being twenty or more not a mere two! Renee Threatte the wonderful co-star brings a lovely grace note of understatement to the play. It doesn't hurt that Threatte is also so stunningly beautiful that it's almost distracting. Mr. Tyson Jennette (in a rather small role of Walter, a share-cropper) is terrific and so likable that I wished his part had been much bigger.

The play is produced by the At Hand Theatre Company, directed by Daniel Horrigan, starring Amanda Bailey, David Heron, Tyson Jennette, Chris Olson, and Renee Threatte.

Performances are Friday - Sunday evenings at 8pm, March 13 - 29, 2009 only!

Tickets, ($18) available at the door or by calling SmartTix at 212-868-4444 or by visiting www.smarttix.com.

The Ted Bardy Studio is located at 153 W. 27th Street, Suite 301 (between 6th & 7th Avenues) in Manhattan. (One block from the 1 Train Metro stop at 28th St.)

Go to this play!

Frank Schaeffer is a writer and the author of Crazy for God: How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right, and Lived to Take All (or Almost All) of It Back. Now in paperback.

Comments

[JohnPatrick76]

Hello,

My name is John Patrick Bray, and I wrote "Trickster at the Gate." I just wanted to thank everyone who was able to see the show. I wanted to let you know that we are up for an NYIT Award, which works in two ways. 1. Judges come to see the show. 2. Audience vote. Think of "American Idol" meets an Off-Off Broadway Tony. Anyway, if you've seen the show, and feel that it warrants consideration for such an award, please consider joining the NYIT Award community, and voting for our play.

http://nyitawards.org/oobshows/show.asp?showID=1350

Thank you again for all of your kind words.

Best,
JpB

[Chris Strickland]

This is such a cool story to start my day off with... I graduated high school and did a lot of theater with Amanda. Sweet girl and immensely talented.

[Rhani Lott]

Great review. I wish I was in New York, but I think I still have a video from 10th grade of Amanda as Juliet. It Seems like a great time to re-watch it.

[Dots]

Unless she's over 50, she ain't no Judy Dench.
Dench is a true treasure...part of it being the beauty of her years of experience.

[JimReed]

Life transforms a young black American actress into an African God. This sounds like it could be a novel.

[robXdion]

She may be a black Judi Dench, but not if the racially homogeneous Hollywood studio owners/producer crowd has anything to say about it. It's time to face the fact that they DO NOT have an imagination beyond their own white experience and 1950-60s era minority stereotypes.

[gladys46]

True.

[vesaversa1]

Very interesting i hope it come to Atlanta .

[fpie]

Amanda Bailey. I'll keep my ears open for that name. Your description makes me wish I could make it to NY to see this show.

[gladys46]

I love you Frank but, I do question your referring the Yoruba religion as a "myth" !!


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoruba_religion

[faithnj]

Thanks, Frank! Sounds interesting. But Fpie, I wouldn't be too hard on Frank as it concerns Yoruba religion and myth. There are so many Yoruba stories about this god and that, that I don't think all of the stories are considered "historical facts," even by those who practice the religion. Some of the stories are so colorful, I think they are considered more like parables for instruction in wisdom, or illustrations of the character traits of the gods. (They put me in mind of Anansi the Spider stories.) Others seem clearly meant for people to take seriously. As far as I could ever tell, you figure out what's what based on the tone in which the story is told, and what you are instructed to do in response to it. Some stories are told with a laugh, and you move on. Other stories are told with seriousness, and then they're followed by instructions to do things like get a spiritual cleaning or slaughter a goat. I'm not sure I ever met a "Yoruba Fundamentalist" who touted the inerrancy of Yoruba religious cannon. (However.....based on the state of the world today, I imagine a few might exist, LOL!)

Anyway....As my pastor said the other day, "Jesus said 'I am the door....' But that doesn't mean he's swinging on hinges."

Faith

[JimReed]

Aren't they all?

[gladys46]

Maybe my point ! African's everything was stripped, pealed away ... even their own names & languages and for what "Christianity" !!?? That's quite Godly ...huh !?

[Nommo]

Just one issue here. What is a "trendy" race issue. Disenfranchisement? Police brutality and profiling?
Redlining? I do so hate to be out of touch.

[faithnj]

...i think some people might dismiss certain racial issues as "trendy." why not? if you don't want to deal with something, or you're irritated with others who are looking into these issues for the first time...perhaps calling it "trendy" is just another way of criticizing a person's concerns as "too p.c."

Faith

[Nommo]

Still, it is so uncool not being in the know, you know. And the trends are moving entirely too fast for this old head to manage. So what is hip? Tell me if you think you know...