Theatrius
  • Now Playing
  • All Reviews
  • Writers
  • Reflections
  • Millennial Notes
  • Join Us
  • About Us
  • Search Icon

Theatrius

Theater Reviews—San Francisco and Beyond

“The Trial” Honors Black History with a Twist, at African-American Shakes, S.F.

“The Trial” Honors Black History with a Twist, at African-American Shakes, S.F.

February 23, 2020 Robert M. Gardner

Karani Marcia Leslie Johnson Strips Black Stereotypes Bare

by Robert M. Gardner

Karani Johnson pulls no punches in her hard-hitting exposè of Black stereotypes. We know well the history of  white oppression since , but her “The Trial of One Short-Sighted Black Woman vs. Mammy Louise and Safreeta Mae” reveals  Black people’s prejudices against each other.

Johnson’s play offers strong medicine—a tonic and inspiration for those who believe in social justice. Director Sherri Young brilliantly lays the foundation for a deeper understanding of how Black women blossom into warriors for change.

Desiree Rogers (Victoria Dryer). Photos by Joseph Giammarco

The striking set juxtaposes a courtroom with a slave ship. Behind the judge’s bench, we see three large sails, with coiled ropes and ship lines evoking the chilling representation of a slave ship. Video Designer Kevin Myrick uses the sails to project compelling images.

Well-dressed millennial executive­ Victoria Dryer (vibrant Desiree Rogers) and arrogant Prosecutor (dynamic Ashley Raggs) exude power and privilege, as they scowl at the accused defendants.

Brittany Sims (The Defense Attorney)

Their enmity focuses on Mammy Louise (ebullient Juanita Harris), a Mammy Archetype. Mammy’s substantial girth, plain clothes, and head scarf contrast sharply with Dryer’s chic business suit. Mammy’s hip-swaying daughter Safreeta Mae (youthful Zoe Hodge) epitomizes Hollywood’s hyper-sexualized Black woman.

In court, the sharp-tongued executive Dryer accuses Mammy and Safreeta of accepting their subservient roles and hindering her own climb up the corporate ladder.

Mammy’s country-style Defense Lawyer (brilliant Brittany Nicole Sims) rails against the insulting accusations. We laugh out loud at their City vs. Country humor. No-nonsense Judge Judy Gardner (powerful Clara McDaniel) keeps them in line as the testimony turns serious and arguments burst out.

Clara McDaniel (The Judge)

Multi-talented Devin A. Cunningham skillfully plays five roles, putting on a white mask to assume the role of Slaveholder—a black man in white face. As a callous, southern gentleman, Cunningham is horrified that a judge can be Black and female!

Mammy’s lawyer forces Dryer to admit that she knows nothing about the Harlem Renaissance or Zora Neale Hurston. Dryer has Toni Morrison’s book “Beloved” but could read only a few pages. The elegant corporate woman has no time for Black history or books.

Devin Cunningham (Mrs. Jesse Reams)

As we learn more about Mammy and Safreeta, we are shocked by the cruelties they have suffered. They are the epitome of strength embodied by Maya Angelou in her poem “Still I Rise.”  The Defense argues that young Blacks must learn their true history. They must read Black writers to preserve their heritage. Magnificently, Dryer finally awakens to her own short-sighted corporate life.

For a powerful ending, the cast intones the names of slave ships that flash on the screen: La Amistad, Antelope, Aurore, Esmerelda . . . The ships’ flowery, innocent names turn sinister when we comprehend that they have brought generations of pain and torture. African- American Shakespeare Company presents the perfect play for Black History Month.

Devin Cunningham (Mr. Jesse Reams)

“The Trial of One Short-Sighted Black Woman vs. Mammy Louise and Safreeta Mae” –by Karani Marcia Leslie Johnson, directed by Sherri Young, by African-American Shakespeare Company, at Taube Atrium Theater, San Francisco, through Sunday, March 1, 2020.  Info: africanamericanshakes.org

Cast: Desiree Rogers, Ashley Raggs, Brittany Nicole Sims, Zoe Hodge, Juanita Harris, Clara McDaniel, and Devin A. Cunningham.

Banner photo: Juanita Harris (Mammy Louise) & Clara McDaniel (The Judge). Photos by Joseph Giammarco


Plays
Civil Rights, Colonialism, comedy, exploitation, Imperialism, justice, patriarchy, politics, racism, Satire, social class, Women's Rights, workers

Post navigation

NEXT
“What They Said About Love” Evokes Laughs & Ideas, at Marin Center
PREVIOUS
“The Human Ounce” Weighs the Cost of #MeToo, at Central Works, Berkeley
Comments are closed.

Menu

  • Now Playing
  • All Reviews
  • Writers
  • Reflections
  • Millennial Notes
  • Join Us
  • About Us

BLM

Black Lives Matter

Subscribe for upcoming reviews!
Loading

Current Shows

  • “Private” Tears A Marriage Wide Open—at SFBATCO
  • “Dry Powder” Spotlights Wall Street Power-Brokers—at Left Edge
  • “Pride and Prejudice, The Musical” Enchants with Sass & Satire—at Ross Valley
  • “Clue” Melds Mystery & Comedy into Entertaining Adventure—at SF Playhouse
  • “Donna”: Intimate Interviews Celebrate Trans Triumphs—On Screen
  • “Fannie”: Sixties Spirituals Pave Path to Freedom—at TheatreWorks
  • “’Tasha” Tackles Raw Racism—at 3Girls
  • “Tea Party” Brews Up a Cup of America—at The Strand
  • “A Raisin in the Sun” Explodes with Drama and Power—at 6th Street
  • “Cambodian Rock Band” Deserves Its Standing Ovation—at Berkeley Rep
  • “Cambodian Rock Band” Mixes Nostalgic Hits with Terror—at Berkeley Rep
  • “Fun Home” Seduces with Strong Songs & Sultry Sass—at Berkeley Playhouse
  • “Anything Goes”: It’s Delightful, It’s Delicious, It’s De-lovely—at 42nd Street Moon
  • “SIX, The Musical” Celebrates Women’s Freedom & Individuality—at BroadwaySF
  • “Fun Home” Bursts with Love & Feeling—at Berkeley Playhouse

About us:

If you want to see the best plays & performances around the San Francisco Bay or beyond, read our reviews. We promise to give you a true report on the best shows.
Bay Area Critics Circle

Barry David Horwitz, Editor of Theatrius, is a Voting Member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics' Circle, SFBATCC. Follow us on: facebook.com

© 2023   All Rights Reserved.