"Radio Golf," the final play in August Wilson's decade-by-decade cycle of the 20th Century black experience, is certainly not a hole-in-one, or even a birdie or an eagle. But it is a respectable par and a fitting last piece of the puzzle to the Wilson canon.
Three of the five characters in the show -- rising political star and real estate developer Harmond Wilks (Harry Lennix), his Lady Macbeth-lite wife Mame (Tonya Pinkins) and yuppie Roosevelt Hicks (newcomer James A. Williams) -- almost feel anachronistic. Considering Wilson's delicious control of language, to hear them chat about Starbucks and Whole Foods or listen to En Vogue on the radio seems like Richard III shouting "My kingdom for a Mercedes!"
The message, too, seems a bit heavy-handed at times. There are far too many lines that sound designed to merely elicit "mmm-hmms" from the audience. No matter. Despite its shortcomings, the play is consistently entertaining, ripe with some great humor and sterling performances from all involved, particular Tony nominees and Wilson veterans John Earl Jelks and Anthony Chisholm as the folks whom, unlike the others, Starbucks-world success has eluded. Pity the show's not lasting longer than it is.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment