An Eye on race

After watching the Black Theater Ensemble’s production of The Bluest Eye, I left the Black Box Theatre with the conclusion that no one should ever read Toni Morrison’s books—they must be heard. The cast gives voice to the acclaimed author’s rich language in a thoroughly enjoyable performance that is at once hilarious, heart-warming, and tragically insightful.

The Bluest Eye examines the heartbreaking story of a young black girl named Pecola Breedlove, played by Tanisha Humphrey (SFS ‘12), who desires blue eyes in a society where notions of beauty are dictated by white standards. Most of the story is told through the eyes of Pecola’s friend, Claudia, played by Kristin Watson (COL ‘12). Throughout much of the performance, Claudia and her sister Frieda, played by Carolyn Chambers (COL ‘11), are omnipresent and observe all the goings-on of the play, interjecting their own insights as the plot progresses.

The Black Theater Ensemble’s adaptation of Morrison’s original narrative allows the ensemble cast to be greatly involved in the development of Pecola’s story, allowing characters more freedom to speak for themselves than they are granted in the novel. The plot consists of a series of vignettes which explain the contemporary life of the young girls and past events which have shaped (and scarred) the characters. The play handles issues of rape, incest, and racism as delicately and tastefully as Morrison does in her book, humanizing its perpetrators and delving into the social undercurrents that shape the story’s tragic events.

Director Obehi Utubor (SFS ‘09) and the production crew nailed just about every aspect of the play, from its sound effects and set design to its impeccable casting. The minimalist backdrop, which consists of three rotating panels with silhouetted graphics, provides “holes and spaces” in the performance that allow the cast (and the audience) to imagine the gaps in setting and narrative. With a less successful group of actors, this may have been a hindrance to the production. But Lydia Diamond’s adaptation of Morrison’s descriptive, lyrical prose can do without any elaborate scenery, and the individual performances are strong enough to transport the audience wherever the plot ventures.

The cast as a whole is incredibly strong, with standout performances from Watson, playing the spitfire, wise-beyond-her-years Claudia, Jasmine Taylor (COL ‘10) as Mrs. Breedlove, and Jamee Brody (COL ‘10) as Mama, the mother of Claudia and Frieda. Taylor shows great versatility in her role, as Mrs. Breedlove transforms from her romantic, youthful self to a hardened woman with a missing tooth and a limp who has resigned herself to the fate of being “ugly.” Brody provides moments of much-needed comic relief, whether through chasing her daughters around the set or injecting hilarity into a funeral procession.

Both Watson and Chambers assume their youthful roles so naturally that I found it hard to believe they are Georgetown students. Kyle Williams (COL ‘09), playing Daddy and creepy pedophile Soaphead Church, is particularly deserving of praise, his baritone voice contributing to the rich narrative and emphasizing the rhythmic and melodic qualities of Morrison’s prose.

It’s always a challenge to dramatize a book that is so familiar and beloved by the audience, but BTE manages to enrich Morrison’s language through performance. The play, though emotionally moving, also makes light of many of the narrative’s scenes, ultimately coaxing out more laughs than tears. Still, one can’t help but be saddened by Humphrey’s performance as Pecola; uplifted by Claudia and Frieda’s sense of love, Pecola awakens to the harsh societal and cultural reality that rings true even today.