Shakespeare & Company, Lenox, MA
through September 13, 2015
by Beverly Dane
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Photo by Kevin Sprague |
"Red Velvet" is the compelling story of Ira
Aldridge, an African-American actor who migrated from the United States to
England, where he married and ultimately became the first Black actor to play
Othello in 1826. But despite a successful career throughout Europe and Eastern
Europe, racism and intolerance plagued his career. The inherent drama in this
story is great material for a play, and John Douglas Thompson, an actor of
enormous talent, physicality and vocal power, is a formidable Aldridge.
Unfortunately, the concept and the lead actor are not enough
to carry Shakespeare & Company’s production of "Red Velvet,"
penned by Lolita Chakrabarti and directed by Daniela Varon. The script is wordy
and is occasionally peppered with theatre "in" jokes that may be amusing to those
who understand them, but they take attention away from the drama that unfolds
and seem inappropriate to a show with an important theme set in the 1800s. Even
with these problems, there are moments of greatness, such as when set designer
John McDermott’s stage is magically transformed into a nineteenth century venue
complete with footlights and crashing backdrop. The raw sensory shift gives
Thompson what he needs to breathe life into Aldridge’s performance and dazzles
the audience.
This is "Red Velvet’s" first American production,
and there are still some problems to be worked out. On opening night, the show’s pacing was slow and actors
often stepped on each others' lines. Some of the accents reflecting a range of
European nations were clearly forced. But, like the example above, there are
some outstanding scenes that give hope that the show may grow and develop throughout
the run, and the message of the play is indeed powerful.