Summertime and the Living’s Easy
Jazz started to play behind a closed curtain. Scenes from the American
1960’s Civil Rights movement danced on the curtain, illuminated from a
projector in the back of the theater. They depicted African Americans fighting
for equality. It’s curious how themes repeat themselves throughout history.
Porgy and Bess took over the stage of the Victoria Theater this last
month thanks to the Ensemble Theater Company. A musical written in the early
1930s, its theme is just as relevant today as it was back then, although there
have been some contemporary adaptations. This particular production was set in the
poor fishing community of Catfish Row during the 1960s, brought to life by the
sound of jazz prominent in that era. In a nutshell, Porgy is a disabled man
living in Catfish Row with a good sense of community, but no woman. Bess is an
attractive cocaine addict from the city attached to a well-to-do thug. Things
go awry when they visit The Row, Bess’s thug has to skip town in a jiffy, and
Bess shacks up with Porgy to wait it out. They fall in love, and then once
again, more things go awry.
The small cast worked well together, cohesively portraying a small,
poor community that sticks together to care for their own, while keeping out of
the “Boss Man’s” way. The cast
efficiently moved pieces around a well-designed set to help establish each
scene. Through effective lighting, movement, and of course singing, the New Vic
was transformed into Catfish Row during the summertime.
However, the beauty in the story is in its telling – or its singing in
this case. The entire cast oozed talent, making jazz that brought both joy and
sorrow to the audience. Elijah Rock’s physical depiction of Porgy was so flawlessly
executed, I was sure Rock was handicapped himself. And with his deep, soulful
voice, Rock added rich soul to his character’s plight. Karole Foreman’s sweet
voice made you forget that Bess was an aging addict that lived off men. However, Frank Lawson stole the show with his
portrayal of Sportin’ Life, a previous resident of Catfish Row who is now all fancy
in the city and slinging dope. Lawson
danced, swayed, and taunted the others throughout the story, making it hard to
know if Sportin’ Life was a good guy or a bad guy – because he was certainly a
fun guy.
It was a great ride, with all its ups and downs, suspense and romance.
The underlying current of addiction and inequality was painstakingly vibrant
throughout the entire ride. Luckily we had jazz, that made the living easy.