Stick Fly
As if meeting the future in-laws was not hard enough, a weekend stay at their historic estate in Martha’s Vineyard blows through a tempest of raw emotions for a prestigious African-American family grappling with tumultuous attitudes about race, class and gender.
Lydia R. Diamond’s drama superbly plumbs the strata of underlying tensions hidden behind the pretence of outward success. On the surface, the LeVay’s seem to have it all -- wealth, education, and privilege, but behind this veneer is a shattering secret that hits close to home. Diamond’s taut, terrific dialogue casually eases from friendly banter to an all-out maelstrom of innuendo, accusation and judgment from multiple perspectives, revealing bitter resentments and hypocrisy that are more than skin deep.
Set in the matriarch’s family home, the first owned by an African-American family on the Vineyard, the LeVay’s youngest son Kent (Chris Butler), an aspiring writer brings home his outspoken fiancée Taylor Bradley Scott (Michole Briana White) to meet his parents. His oldest brother Flip (Jason Delane), a flashy plastic surgeon also brings his new conquest, an “Italian” girl Kimber Davies (Avery Clyde) that is all WASP dripping with comic superiority and loads of academic pretension. Both women are immediately at odds as they stubbornly spar and spat on deeply held preconceptions, drawing the contempt of the housekeeper’s daughter Cheryl (Tinashe Kajese) struggling to realize her dreams.
While the women in the house duke it out, the sons’ dynamic but dysfunctional relationship fares little better with their father, a workaholic neurosurgeon, Dr. Joseph LeVay (John Wesley). Disappointed with Kent’s creative pursuits, Dr. LeVay shrugs off every opportunity to support his sensitive son, undermining his efforts at every opportunity by telling him to “man up.” The nail-biting suspense builds to an entertaining crescendo as everyone in the house waits for the matriarch’s arrival, but like Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot” her absence raises far more questions with shocking realizations.
Diamond’s well-developed characters more than make up for some of the entertaining but implausible plot twists, and Shirley Jo Finney’s deft direction keeps an energetic pace while utilizing the exquisite space to its zenith for some lovely tableaus. The intricately detailed set by John Iacovelli is a genuine masterpiece comparable only to the brilliant lighting design by Christian Epps that captures the passing of time seamlessly.
The ensemble is unadulterated perfection. Each give a gripping and unforgettable performance that is worthy of seeing this show more than once. White is exciting, particularly in her spouting off scenes with Clyde, and both women have a genuine sense for comedic timing. Equally as pleasing are Butler and understudy Delane, and Wesley as the pulling up from the bootstraps patriarch dominates the stage with a fierce but feeling command that is breathtaking. Kajese, last seen in the Fountain’s premiere of Athol Fugard’s “Victory” is thrilling as she artfully portrays the full breadth and depth of Cheryl in her assumed role of protector to absolute vulnerability that is heart rendering and mesmerizing.
It is impossible to know what goes on behind closed doors, but like a fly on the wall, family has the unique perspective of seeing us for who we really are when no one else is looking and no else can hold us accountable.
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Theater: The Matrix Theatre
Web Site: http://www.matrixtheatre.com/
Tickets: 323 960 7740
Dates: EXTENDED Through June 28, 2009.