Review: Carlyle (Goodman Theatre)

Offensive and manipulative

Carlyle is billed as a satire. It's not. The piece delivers some of the most straightforwardly offensive and despicable forms of misogyny and racism that you can imagine, none of it delivered with the wit or intelligence necessary for satire. Playwright Thomas Bradshaw may fancy himself a provocateur, but in reality, isn't provocative: It's manipulative and exploitive and at 75-minutes, an hour-and-a-quarter too long.

The show's entire premise - that Black Republicans have always been about as rare as unicorns - is false. Bradshaw begins by establishing the "fact" that Blacks have historically voted Democrat, and that Black Republicans are almost as rare as unicorns. Wrong. Up until the 1960s, men and women of color voted Republican more than Democrat. (Don't take my word for it. See here and here.) But if Bradshaw stuck to the truth, he wouldn't have a play. So he fills the text with strawman arguments, makes the blanket assertion that Black Republicans are a historic anomaly, and ploughs forward with the crude, joyless and humorless story of the titular Black conservative.

Along the way, we hear Anita Hill condemned as a lying "cunt," and Clarence Thomas lionized as an American hero on a par with Thomas Jefferson. Characters also tell us that "draconian" sexual harassment laws are the result of tantrums thrown by "feminazis," and that when it comes to education, Carlyle (James Earl Jones II) earnestly avows that segregation is a far better bet than integration.

The Goodman and Bradshaw insist that all this ugliness is satire, the intentionally outrageous dialogue of fictional characters in a play that wants to get people talking. But here's the thing about satire: It needs to be delivered with wit and a tongue-and-cheek tone that lets you know there's a layer of subtext condemning whatever ugliness is being perpetrated by the ignorant and/or the villainous. There's no condemnation in . There's no subtlety. And amid the hateful ignorant screeds, there is not so much as a whisper of truth-based counterpoint.

Bradshaw doesn't skewer the opinions of men who avow Anita Hill as a voracious sexual predator who brought down an upright man. He doesn't mock the stereotypical depiction of Black scholarship students who flunk out because they spend all their time smoking weed and hating on whitey. And the playwright certainly doesn't condemn the despicable sexism of male characters who want to get a "gang" together to go "shoot (Anita Hill) in the face." All of these sentiments are delivered in earnest, with neither humor or subtext.

Then there's the play's recklessly irresponsible depiction of Clarence Thomas, which fails to take into account the widely known fact that as a Supreme Court Justice, Thomas has asked perhaps half a dozen questions during his entire term and is known for sleeping during sessions. (This isn't conjecture on the part of the press. At least not entirely: I have an immediate family member who has been in the SCOTUS courtroom multiple times, and has been repeatedly staggered by the fact that Thomas appears to sleep through the proceedings.) Calling such a man an "American hero" is preposterous, no matter what your politics. And again, it's not presented as satire in , it's presented as heart-felt truth.

Finally, Bradshaw manipulates the play into meta-theatric contortions that oh-so-cleverly render the production review-proof. Early on, Carlyle anguishes over what the critics will say, thereby pre-empting anyone who would dare to criticize him. If we slam the show, Bradshaw will nod wisely because he predicted as much - he just knew the critics weren't going to get it, and sure enough, they don't.

Word to the wise: There's nothing to get. is nothing but cheap bait flung out in hopes that Chicago audience's will fall for it, preferably while screaming at each other. isn't inflammatory or shocking, despite Bradshaw's heavy-handed efforts to be just that. The play is a prurient, waste of time. There's no story or discussion to be had here. There's just a lot of empty noise, designed for maximum shock value.

continues through May 1st at Goodman's Owen Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn (map), with performances Wednesdays and Thursdays 7:30pm, Fridays 8pm, Saturdays 2pm & 8pm, Sundays 2pm & 7:30pm. Tickets are $10-$40, and are available by phone (312-443-3800) or online at their website (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com ). More info at GoodmanTheatre.org. (Running time: 75 minutes, no intermission)

Photos by Liz Lauren

James Earl Jones II (Carlyle), Tiffany Scott (Janice), Tim Rhoze (Carlyle's father), Levenix Riddle (Omar), Jess Berry, Patrick Clear, Maureen Gallagher, Charlette Speigner, Don Tieri, Nate Wheldon (ensemble).

behind the scenes

Benjamin Kamine (director), Kevin Depinet (set design) Rachel Healy (costume design), Heather Gilbert (lighting design), Christopher Kriz (sound design), Tanya Palmer (dramaturg), Donald Claxon (production stage manager), Shannon Golden (stage manager), Adam Belcuore, Erica Sartini-Combs (casting), Liz Lauren (photos)

Tags: 16-0418, Adam Belcuore, Benjamin Kamine, Catey Sullivan, Charlette Speigner, Chicago Theater, Christopher Kriz, Don Tieri, Donald Claxon, Erica Sartini, Goodman Theatre, Heather Gilbert, James Earl Jones II, Jess Berry, Kevin Depinet, Levenix Riddle, Liz Lauren, Maureen Gallagher, Nate Wheldon, Patrick Clear, post, Rachel Healy, Shannon Golden, Tanya Palmer, Tiffany Scott, Tim Rhoze

Category: 2016 Reviews, Catey Sullivan, Goodman Theatre, Owen Theatre (Goodman), Video, YouTube