The Raid
Written by Idris Goodwin
Broadway Armory Park, 5917 N. Broadway (map)
thru Dec 12 | tix: $15-$20 | more info
Check for half-price tickets
Abolitionist idealism chronicled at length
Jackalope Theatre Company presents
The Raid
Review by Keith Glab
White abolitionist John Brown (Ron Wells) vehemently believed that the sin of slavery would "never be purged away but with blood." His ideals culminated in his leading a small band of men on an attack of the federal armory in Harpers Ferry, Virginia, in an effort to arm slaves and incite an insurrection. The world premiere of Idris Goodwin‘s The Raid chronicles these events and investigates whether violence can indeed be a necessary evil.
Goodwin’s central conceit comes to light in a seminal confrontation between Brown, Frederick Douglass (Warren Feagins), and a Bounty Hunter (Anthony Conway). After much dialog showing the ex-slave Douglass to oppose violence and taking up arms even in the greater good of abolishing slavery, he must choose how to respond to this direct threat to their lives. It’s the most fictitious moment in Goodwin’s meticulously researched historical account, but also the most compelling dramatic moment in the play.’’
Feagins’ performance as the pragmatic Douglass highlights the production. He remains poised and eloquent with controlled emotion throughout every argument and unexpected turn. Toya Turner also impresses in highlighting Harriet Tubman’s passion and sincerity, although the architect of the underground railroad gets afforded but a small part in these proceedings. Goodwin’s heightened language generally counts as another asset, although some of the cast struggle with it. In particular, Daniel Desmarais sounds awkward and stumbles over his lines as Brown’s secretary, Henry Kagi.
The Raid comes across as an uneven production overall, owing mostly to the lack of focus in the narrative structure. It deserves attention in expounding upon an often overlooked event in the abolitionist movement, and seeing the central character espousing violence as an instrument of God’s will certainly evokes relevance today. The thesis of such violence being warranted feels somewhat forced as presented. The equally interesting question – beyond the scope of this production – is how much Brown’s act of martyrdom actually influenced the American Civil War, Emancipation Proclamation, and eventual freedom for slaves.
Rating: ★★½
The Raid continues through December 12th at Broadway Armory Park, 5917 N. Broadway (map), with performances Thursdays-Saturdays at 7:30pm. Tickets are $15-$20, and are available online through their website (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com). More information at JackalopeTheatre.org. (Running time: 1 hour 40 minutes, no intermission)
Photos by Joel Maisonet
artists
cast
Ron Wells (John Brown), Warren Feagins (Frederick Douglass), Daniel Desmarais (Henry Kagi), Jared Bellot (The Emperor), Toya Turner (Harriet Tubman), Tracy Garrison (Mahala Doyle, Mary Ann Brown), Anthony Conway (Bounty Hunter), Anthony Venturini (u/s Bounty Hunter), Alex Hand (Silas Soule), Scot West (The Lawyer)
behind the scenes
Kaiser Ahmed (director), Ashley Ann Woods (set design), Claire Sangster (lighting design), Thomas Dixon (sound design), Sarah Jo White (costume design), Corinne Bass (props design), Andrew Donnelly (production stage manager), Lindsay Bartlett (dialect coach), David Woolley (fight choreography), J. Cody Spellman (dramaturg), Joel Maisonet (photos)
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