| . | 05/06/2008
Emergency
By: Elliot Rush
Photo by Michael Lamont.
The Geffen Playhouse is currently presenting the West Coast premiere of Emergency, the one-man, award-winning, tour de force written and performed by Daniel Beaty, and congratulations are in order. Emergency is the kind of audacious, important theater that once turned up on a regular basis - successfully and often unsuccessfully - at the Mark Taper Forum when it was admirably run under the auspices of Gordon Davidson. The new artistic director operating the theaters downtown, at least as demonstrated so far, seems less inclined to take chances and present work that is daring and bold. Although it comes as somewhat of a surprise to find a piece of theater like Emergency at the Geffen Playhouse, what appears to be a courageous move on the theater’s part is probably the smartest programming this west-side organization has provided its subscribers and patrons in a long time.
The Geffen is also to be commended for introducing Los Angeles audiences to the talent of Daniel Beaty. Beaty is not only a superlative writer of great depth; he proves to be a very fine actor of incredible range and nuance; a thrilling slam poet with virtuosic skills; and a gifted singer with a glorious operatic voice. Given that Los Angeles is a town of film and television, let’s hope the theater does not lose Beaty to the more lucrative industry. Granted, his voice will have an opportunity to be heard by thousands if not millions more people, but the opportunity to experience Beaty live should not be lost.
Emergency originally premiered at the Public Theater in New York and this critic had the opportunity to first see and review the show there. The Public Theater production was entirely different, but no less affecting and powerful. The current production updates the text and some of the stories told by the major characters have been expanded. It is a pleasure to see an artist refine their work and in this new and striking version of Emergency, Beaty has been aided immeasurably by his director Charles Randolph-Wright. Technical elements – set, lights, sound, video – are also first rate.
The premise of Emergency is inspired. Out of nowhere, a 400 year old slave ship rises out of the Hudson River at Liberty Island, right next to the Statue of Liberty. African-American people from all walks of life, male and female, young and old, rich and poor, gay and straight begin to appear at Liberty Island and react to this preternatural phenomenon. The juxtaposition of the slave ship and the Statue of Liberty, although the slave ship is never seen, is a startling and provocative idea. Through these many people - all played by Beaty - he wrestles with the concept of freedom and what it means to be black in America today. We are introduced to a family who is directly affected by the appearance of this slave ship called Remembrance when the father of two young men – one, a slam poet, who is competing on a nationally televised show called America’s Next Top Poet, a show in the vein of American Idol, and the other, a brother who is gay and “wants to be deep” - ends up on top of the slave ship where the father, a Shakespearean scholar and former university professor, converses with the spirit of Chief Kofi, a 400 year old chieftain of an African tribe. Through Chief Kofi, the father, who has rejected his past, learns the importance of honoring the history of African Americans and the need to “Tell the Story,” which he urges his son, the poet, to do.
As a performer, Beaty is a master of transformation; changing into characters with the slightest shift of his body, affected mannerism, and voice alteration. Just watching him go back and forth between characters, especially those having a conversation with each other, is remarkable. He has created many memorable characters; including a young boy named Peter who sings with the Boys Choir of Harlem and his girlfriend Clarissa, who was born with HIV; the 72 year old grandmother of Clarissa; a homeless man named James who spins a touching story about his mother’s pound cake; a “slaveologist” who gives a tour of the slave dungeons of Ghana West Africa; the indomitable Ashes, a transgendered female; and the sassy Sharita, a Tyra Banks type host of America’s Next Top Poet. Through this concept of a poetry competition, Beaty is able to perform his slam poetry to dazzling effect, rousing cheers from many members of the audience.
As a writer, Beaty has an original voice with a singular passion for bringing people and communities together. However different we all may be, the underlying message of this work is that we are all connected; and we all need to love one another. Emergency is great theater. Don’t miss it!
Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Ave., Westwood; Through May 25th. 7:30 pm Tuesdays-Thursday, 8 pm Fridays, 4 and 8:30 pm Saturdays, 2 and 7 pm Sundays; Ticket prices: $35 - $74; 1 hour, 20 minutes (no intermission); Tickets: 310-208-5454; http://www.geffenplayhouse.com .
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