If You Ask Me: Superb Revival of Wilson Classic at Hartford Stage
By Tom Holehan
Connecticut Critics Circle
Playwright August Wilson’s breathless monologues in his many plays have often been referred to as “arias.” This is a perfect description as he has created words for actors that soar, that are journeys of the soul, meaningful and often profound. Get great actors and a strong director and the plays of August Wilson will continue to remain timeless. I thought of this watching the Hartford Stage’s current revival of Wilson’s Two Trains Running. It’s still awfully early in the year, but I can’t imagine I’ll see a better production this season.
August Wilson’s celebrated “American Century Cycle,” an epic 10-play series that started in 1982 with Jitney and concluded in 2005 with Radio Golf, offered works that explored the African American experience in America, one play for each decade of the 20th century. Other works included Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Fences and The Piano Lesson. Many of these masterworks had their debut under Lloyd Richards’ direction at the Yale Repertory Theatre and this includes Two Trains Running, which premiered there in 1990.
Two Trains Running takes place in 1969 and is set in a Pittsburgh restaurant owned by Memphis (Godfrey L. Simmons, Jr.) and visited nearly daily by the wise and older Holloway (Jerome Preston Bates), numbers-runner Wolf (Postell Pringle), ex-con Sterling (Rafael Jordan), funeral director West (Jeorge Bennett Watson), the subject of much of the play’s mordant humor and the mentally challenged Hambone (David Jennings), who becomes the haunting voice of this extraordinary play. There is also one female character, Risa (Taji Senior), the long-suffering waitress who is being wooed by Sterling.
Wilson’s drama explores many of the great writer’s familiar themes including racial injustice, Civil Rights challenges, love, work and identity. The major plot point here is Memphis’ struggle to get a fair price from the city for his restaurant scheduled for demolition in the ever-changing neighborhood.
Director Gilbert McCauley has done a masterful job presenting the various characters and subplots in a beautifully paced and always clear rendering on the Hartford stage. His cast could not be better. Simmons had a shaky first scene (a struggle with lines was evident), but soon takes command of his leading role with powerful humanity. Bates, acting as the play’s solo Greek chorus at times, brings thoughtful insight to the black experience from a man who has clearly seen it all. All the acting here demonstrates true ensemble work and you won’t find a weak link in this exemplary company of actors.
Lawrence E. Moten III’s scenic design creates the lived-in diner setting and gets all the small details just right. Devario D. Simmons’ costuming offers nice period touches with Wolf’s blindingly white bell bottoms and West’s perfectly tailored mortician garb. Gregory Robinson provides mood-setting music and sound and Xavier Pierce bathes it all in nostalgic lighting. All told, this is a superior production on every level.
Two Trains Running continues at Hartford Stage, 50 Church Street in Hartford, Connecticut through February 16. For further information and ticket reservations, call the theatre box office at 860.527.5151 or visit www.hartfordstage.org.
Tom Holehan is one of the founders of the Connecticut Critics Circle, a frequent contributor to WPKN Radio’s “State of the Arts” program and the Stratford Crier and Artistic Director of Stratford’s Square One Theatre Company. He welcomes comments at tholehan@yahoo.com. His reviews and other theatre information can be found on the Connecticut Critics Circle website: www.ctcritics.org.
