Friday, November 22

Tag: Solomon Israel

A Raisin in the Sun – Leeds Playhouse
Yorkshire & Humber

A Raisin in the Sun – Leeds Playhouse

With confidence it can be assured that I was one of many who walked away from this show truly moved, in fact more than that. Inspired. A beautifully dedicated performance to the true beauty of culture and history was portrayed up on that stage, as eyes were opened to the struggles and prejudice that the black community faced in the 60’s. The story meets an aspirational family with finance as the root cause of all their problems, son, and father Walter Lee is power hungry and desperate for a change in funds. With his mother, sister, wife, and son all bundled into one home he feels the pressure to provide a better future for his family, although his chances seem slim the long-awaited cheque from his father’s passing is what keeps his hopes alive. Solomon Israel was truly fascinating in hi...
Jitney – Oldham Coliseum
North West

Jitney – Oldham Coliseum

Until recently I was only vaguely aware of August Wilson and his 'Pittsburgh Century Cycle' of plays, chronicling the experience of African-Americans in the USA over a hundred year period. Whether this was my fault, or the fact that his work has not been staged as often as his better known contemporaries is moot, but it allowed me to come to this Old Vic/Leeds Playhouse/Headlong production of 'Jitney', with a fresh perspective on the stunning opening night for this short tour. Set in 1977 against the backdrop of declining industrial Pittsburgh, 'Jitney' portrays an unlicensed taxi cab company and its drivers, struggling to make a living on the periphery of society. This is a play of subtlety and nuance which rewards the attention of the audience and subverts their expectations of the ch...