- Richard Wright’s novel exploded on the American cultural scene in 1940, a searing account of how institutional racism and poverty destroyed a young black man in the Chicago ghetto. Wright and Paul Green adapted the novel into a play in 1941 that stunned audiences with its realism about the plight of urban black Americans. For many whites, “Native Son” was their first glimpse of the hell of racial prejudice in as seen from the African American perspective. “Native Son” still retains much of its power, but like most revolutionary works of art, it may seem dated in the wake of the doors it opened for later artists. Wright’s masterpiece is still a beacon of African American literature but inevitably it has lost its novelty and therefore much of its shock value. The Court Theatre in association with the American Blues Theatre commissioned playwright Nambi E. Kelley to adapt the novel for today’s audiences. Kelley hasn’t so much adapted the original as used it as a basis for her own riffs on Wright’s story. By the end of the 90-miunute drama I would have been happy to see the Wright-Green version. It may show its age but it would have been truer to Wright’s saga than the offering on the Court stage. -The show gets a rating of 3 stars“Native Son” runs through October 19 at the Court Theatre, 5535 South Ellis Avenue. Performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 3 and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $45 to $65. Call 773 753 4472 or visit CourtTheatre.org. ChicagolandTheaterReviews/CourtTheatre-UofC.html Photo Contact Dan at zeffdaniel@yahoo Credit: Michael Brosilow
Posted on: Sun, 21 Sep 2014 20:56:10 +0000
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