“Notes From The Field” reviewed by Paul Lisnek

***** Once in awhile, you see a play where you are moved by the substance but blown away by the power of an actor’s (or in this case (actors performance) performance. This is one of those times when the performers were mesmerizing. Especially when you learn that the playwright, Anna Deavere Smith (who wrote this 2017 Obie Award-winning play) is herself a performer who has done her work as a solo artist production playing all 19 characters in the play. For this Chicago premiere, director Mikael Burke (with input from others I’m quite sure) decided to divide the portrayal of the 19 characters among three incredibly talented actors. I’m most familiar with the work of Shariba Rivers (who in my opinion, would captivate an audience if she just sat on stage and read us the phonebook) who literally brings the audience to complete silence at moments and into a supportive cheering section at other moments. And her co-stars Mildred Marie Langford and Adhana Reid also deliver incredibly powerful performances in the multitude of characters they portray.

The play gives voice to 19 real-life people, some gone, some still with us. Together they shed light on the often failures of the justice system to serve justice and offers a searing indictment of our country’s school-to-prison pipeline. As one character says, if you are African American, you just want to live to be 25 and the odds are that by that young age, you are either in prison or dead. The hard line of the law that reject efforts to stop the execution of a mentally disabled person….why? “Because you have filed the request too late.” Forget justice, forget what’s right…you’re just too late on the buzzer. And that prisoners last minutes detailed for us by his lawyer which leads us to shake our heads. Is our system really so heartless and cruel?

It’s the story of so many striving for the American dream only to face a multitude of obstacles which block the way. Individual stories? Yes. One common theme and message? Absolutely. It’s a play that all should see and should be mandatory viewing for students in high school and college.

These 19 characters, nay humans, found themselves thrust into humanity and history. From NAACP’s Sherrilyn Ifill to Rev Jam Harrison Bryant and ending with the forgiveness for all his brothers by the late and very great Congressman John Lewis, you will walk out thinking about how our land of opportunity and hope have a long way to go if justice is to shine.

Truth is, in this play, you forget that you are watching actors portray a variety of roles. They create such realism with each character including intended speech trips, or “ums”…you just know they are all in the script (which is crafted from these real life characters actual previous speeches or sermons.

The set designed by Eleanor Kahn could not be more simple, grounded, yet intense. The actors perform barefoot, on “the ground” (a stage of gravel) with only a desk, table and chair to set each scene. That sparse yet powerful setting allowed the audience to hone in and get carried away by the power of these actors’ talents.

Simple set, powerful  and moving performances, thought provoking content and a challenge to us all to make a difference…to recognize that we have a long way to go..and the road to justice is not pretty….

Runs: Thurs Feb 8- thru March 24^th.

Weds and Thurs at 7:30pm
Fridays at 8pm

Saturdays at 4pm and 8m

Sundays at 2pm

No 4pm show on Sat Feb 10^th, no performances on Sat March 16^th and Sunday, March 17h

Three added performances: Tuesday March 12 at 7:30pm, matinees on Wednesday  March 13^th and Thursday March 14^th at 2pm.

*****/5

Paul M. Lisnek, J.D., Ph.D.

WGN-TV Political Analyst

Anchor, “WGN-TV Political Report”

Anchor, WGN-TV Midday News “Midday Fix” Author Interview Segment

Host, “Paul Lisnek Behind the Curtain” WGN Radio Podcast