Eclipsed
While we were occupying ourselves with internal politics, wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and our own atrocities at Guantanamo, Africa has been experiencing some of the most brutal inhumanity ever unleashed. In Liberia – a failed experiment to repopulate Africa with American slaves conducted by 18th century ultra-conservatives – that inhumanity was exhibited in a three-way civil war that routinely obliterated whole populations, raped women, and recruited child soldiers. By 2003, whatever civilization had built up over two centuries was essentially demolished.
Playwright Danai Gurira, herself a native of Zimbabwe, has wrung a snap-shot worth of play from Liberia’s recent past, the contents of which leaves one gasping at the extent of degradation that some must survive. She places us in the middle of an anonymous military encampment of rebel forces. Through the every-day talk in a compound for the wives of the rebel leader, we become conversant with their subjugation. At 28, No. 1 (Bahni Turpin) is considered "too old.” She was superceded by No. 2 (Kelly M. Jenrette) who chose to run away and fight rather than accept her lot as a member of a harem, thus giving way to the flibberty-gibbet, No. 3 (Edwina Findley) who becomes pregnant and has a child during the course of the play.
A new girl (Miriam F. Glover) is a captive of war who must now become No. 4. Her journey provides the thread weaving through the obligatory moments that string together necessary information about this unfamiliar terrain. But not before we are introduced to the peacemaker, Rita (Michael Hyatt), a woman who commands the respect rather than the lust of the commandant.
Despite the immediacy and news value of Liberia’s crisis, Gurira's play has two problems. She must tell so much history that the direction of the play at times seems to derail (especially with the appearance of Rita, the "Ma Peace"). The second is that there does not seem to be one protagonist to carry us through the jungle, but three. No. 1 finds empowerment with the help of "Ma Peace"; No. 2 has sold her soul in order to avoid rape. She is offered a turning point that she ultimately rejects. The Girl wanders through both stories, wavering between the choice of her body or her humanity, while No. 3 supplies much needed comic relief.
Nonetheless, the cast of superlative women provides all the conviction necessary. Bahni Turpin, a Cornerstone regular, turns in a solid performance, while Edwina Findley is charming as the ditsy No. 3. Only Michael Hyatt seems tentative as "Ma Peace," helping to convince that the character is not sure what it’s doing in this play and director Robert O’Hara hasn’t helped. The result is an undercooked stew of a play that nonetheless alarms us about the fate of this quasi-colony with ties to the United States.
Set designer Sibyl Wickersheimer has provided a semi-realistic setting complete with jungle foliage for the compound that comprises most of the action. But as with some other plays produced at the Douglas, not all scenes fit nicely into the space configured. Costumes by Alex Jaeger seem authentically rag-tag, while other production values, (lighting by Christopher Kuhl and sound by Adam Phalen with original music by Kathryn Bostic) conform to CTG’s traditional high quality. Fight sequences (choreographed by Steve Rankin) are chilling. Of special note is Joel Goldes’ vocal coaching: the accents are intelligible without being distracting.
Eclipsed continues at CTG’s Kirk Douglas Theatre, 9820 Washington Blvd., Culver City, through October 18th, 2009, with performances Tuesdays through Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 2:00 and 8:00 p.m., and Sundays at 1:00 and 6:30 p.m. Ticket prices: $20.00 – $45.00 available through the Center Theatre Group Audience Services, (213) 628-2772, or online at www.CenterTheatreGroup.org.