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| L - R Kristal Dickerson, John Combs, and Catherine Bruhier: Photos by Ryan Rowles |
By Joe Straw
Any time, any time while I was a slave, if one minute's freedom had been offered to me, and I had been told I must die at the end of that minute, I would have taken it—just to stand one minute on God's airth [sic] a free woman—I would. — Elizabeth Freeman
Theatre 40 presents the world premiere of One Moment of Freedom written by Marion Zola, directed by Linda Alznauer, and produced by David Hunt Stafford through August 27th, 2013.
Bet (Catherine Bruhier), a slave in 1781 Sheffield, Massachusetts comes upon her daughter Lizzie (Kristal Dickerson), also a slave, and Alison Ashley (Katyana Rocker-Cook) having an argument about a tray of Fine china Lizzie has just broken on the floor in her living room. Alison is so angry she grabs a poker and swings at Lizzie before Bet rushes in and takes the brunt load of a hot poker.
Bet in pain and suffering with a burn to her arm, runs away from the house. Colonel John Ashley (John Combs) discovers that Bet has left. The Colonel is furious with his daughter and tells her to immediately apologize to Lizzie and Bet.
But Bet has already put a great distance between them and two days later she is seen walking to the home of abolition minded attorney Theodore Sedgwick (Michael Robb), and his wife Pamela Sedgwick (Mandy Fason). Theodore says he must take her back, but Bet is adamant about not returning.
Bet offers to work for Theodore and Pamela but Theodore is conflicted saying she must be returned. Bet relates a tale of men constructing laws, the Sheffield Declaration, a precursor of the Declaration of Independence waiting a dinner table and offers a passage she remembers that “all men are created equal.” Theodore says that “men” refers to all human beings including women and Bet concludes that, being a human being, she should also be a free woman.
Clever thinking.
Pamela delicately takes time to convince Theodore that he should defend Bet and her right to be free. But Theodore says he risks everything, including his livelihood and his friendship to Colonel John Ashley will forever be lost to defend such a precarious proposition.
Theodore says not returning will mean jail.
Bet chooses jail.
Colonel John Ashley regards both Bet and Lizzie as family, slaves, but family and will not let them go. Theodore Sedgwick says they will see them in court.
Marion Zola’s world premier play is a wonderful, meticulous play with a very dramatic and articulated courtroom scene that plays out in all its grandeur. What is remarkable about the play is that most of the characters come from a place that is so low it is almost impossible to come back. Actions that are done that cannot be undone. Beliefs that are so ingrained that it takes a courtroom to make an impossible situation possible. And even after that, a sinister stain remains.
Based on a real event makes one want to go home and research the incident.
That said, Zola has taken some liberties with the truth and has fictionalized relationships to make this stand-alone play into a cohesive work of art as a way of creating a multi-dimensional sense of conflict. Tapping Reeve’s relationship and marriage to Alison Ashley is fictional but, in the play, provides a backdrop of an inner conflict about slavery and personal feelings against abusive power. Zola has written Bet’s daughter Lizzie as a plaintiff when it was another slave named Brom (Brom and Bett v. Ashley) and that person was the co-plaintiff.
Linda Alznauer’s work as director is tremendous with a nice through line and ambiguous enough to stay on point and keep the actors focused and the audience entertained. Some moments need clarification, and the ending must serve a purpose to tie things up in the end.
The burn moment is critical, and it is the moment of freedom that sets the entire play on its course. On this night, Bet seeing trouble, swoops in and then swoops out without taking the time to show us exactly what happened. There are a lot of things going on here including flight or fight that require a little more exploration. It is the one moment of freedom and defining the moment of the play that is critical.
There is also another moment when Bet arrives at Pamela Sedgwick’s home. She shows them the burn, but an odd thing happened. Pamela and Theodore have a conversation while Bet is writhing in pain with 5th degree burns (my exaggeration)! Moments later they go off and get something for the burns. One is not sure if this was intentional or not.
Still, overall, and in its own form, the play is mesmerizing from the beginning to the end.
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| L - R Catherine Bruhier, John Combs, Katyana Rocker-Cook and Jeffrey Winner |
Jeffrey Winner is outstanding as David Nobel the defendant’s attorney. The manner in the ways he moves throughout the courtroom scene suggests a deep and emotional commitment to character. It is one the finest acting portrayals you will see all year.
David Westbay also fits perfectly as the Judge. He is a man committed to the rule of law and rules the courtroom with precision and patience. Westbay’s voice is strong, and he has a natural presence, moves with exactitude on stage and a has great character look.
Catherine Bruhier is Bet a mild-mannered character living with the idea of freedom on her mind. She can’t read or write but has the wherewithal to move to be free. There may be more to add to the character in the way she moves toward her objective, but this is a very fine performance.
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| Joe Clabby and Katyana Rocker-Cook |
Joe Clabby is Tapping Reeve a lawyer and man who heads a law school. He is also the love interest that feels the need to recuse himself because of his relationship to the plaintiff’s daughter. He is also torn by her nasty behavior and has terrible misgivings about his relationship to his fiancée. And how that completely resolved itself is ambiguous and open for discussion. The statuesque Clabby is a leading man and is also terrific in the role.
Mandy Fason is Pamela Sedgwick a woman who is the solid backbone of the team called marriage convincing her husband to do the thing that is right. For the time, this requires a lot of patience and fortitude, especially when her husband is so against it. There is more Fason could do to strengthen her relationship to her husband. (They had 10 children!) Pamela is the daughter of a very prominent New England family and there may be more to add to this character to give her additional color. The conflict with her husband must be a competition of intellect and fortitude and we must see that play out on stage. Still, Mandy was very likeable in the role.
John Combs played Colonel John Ashley on short notice. And it was not a bad job noting he was on book most of the night. Ashley is an interesting character. Kind, and mild manner. Missing may be the soldier he was in the French Indian Wars, and how that would work in the context of the play. He sees slaves as human beings, but he treats them as chattel going so far as having one of them put in jail for disobedience. He only gives up when he has completely lost.
Michael Robb gives a tremendous performance as Theodore Sedgwick, a man beset with conflict, his wife, the plaintiffs, and the entire country all watching the outcome that will start with the beginning of the end of slavery. He risks losing everything to bring this to trial. Robb gives a very fine performance with an immediacy that strikes a chord with every being.
Katyana Rocker-Cook is also impressive as Alison Ashley. There is some very good work going on here – spoiled white privileged young woman who believes the world is her own. Alison must come from way back of a very horrific opening moment and Rocker-Cook does this in increments and it is remarkable work.
Kristal Dickerson also does some good work as Lizzie, Bet’s daughter. There is more she can add to the role to develop the relationship to her mother during the play. That bond must be stronger. Lizzie loses her mother two times in the play, once when Bet runs away and the second time in prison. Each of those times may require more of an emotional and physical moment of never seeing her again. This is your mother.
There are alternates that did not perform the night I attended, Michael Kerr, and Diane Linder. Daniel Leslie plays Colonel John Ashley and did not perform either.
Michael Mullen’s work as the Costume Designer was excellent. There were slight touches in the costumes that elevated the performance. The ruby pin in David Nobel’s wardrobe gave the character a natural flair of power and invincibility for this lawyer. Indeed the work was one of sartorial splendor. Judi Lewin, Hair, Wig & Makeup Designer, was also excellent in keeping with the time and date.
Other members of the crew are as follows:
Jeff G. Rack – Set Designer
Derrick McDaniel – Lighting Designer
Nick Foran - Sound Designer
William Joseph Hill – Fight Choreographer
Ryan Rowles – Stage Manager
This show will run in repertory with Doris and Ivy in the Home so please check the listing.
As always FREE PARKING!
Reservations: 310-364-3606
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