BWW Reviews: UpRise! Productions' RAISIN IN THE SUN Shrivels Due to Avant Garde Treatment

There are some things in the arts that I never expect to see. One is Harvey Firestein covering a Josh Groban song. Another is Lindsay Lohan winning an Oscar. And another is an avant garde production of A Raisin in the Sun. Well, I guess 2 out of 3 ain't bad.

I really wanted to enjoy UpRise! Productions' A Raisin in the Sun as this marked the first time I've seen or reviewed any of their productions and the first time I've seen a live production of Lorraine Hannsberry's celebrated play. Moreover, I've heard nothing but praise regarding their recent award-winning production of for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf. Unfortunately, A Raisin in the Sun fails due to Laurie Carlos's direction, which gives the great American drama a surreal, expressionistic makeover (or makeunder). Carlos, a well-respected and award-winning director and performer specializing in avant garde theatre, is far out of her element here. The story of the African-American Younger family's desire to realize their dreams-including their yeaning to move out of their shabby two-bedroom apartment-should be a powerful, universal statement on how all Americans, especially minorities, must struggle to find their fulfillment and happiness. Sadly, the awkward and unnecessary avant garde approach fails to bring Hannsberry's message to the forefront. Naturalistic dramas such as A Raisin in the Sun depend on realistic acting and directing to establish the characters and to tell the story. Avant garde theatre depends on bizarre, interesting, and poetic images and dialogue to create a feeling or theme, leaving character and plot in the dust. While mixing the two is an interesting idea, it doesn't pay off.

I'm not suggesting that all directors need to approach the same material the same way. The beauty of live theatre is the creativity and imagination that each director, designer, and performer can bring to the material. No two productions of the same play are identical, and that's one of the elements of theater that makes the medium so thrilling. That being said, there is the matter of taste and appropriateness. The choices made should support the work of the author and should get the production as close to the author's intent as possible. The Diary of Ann Frank should not be done as a slapstick comedy. Daddy Warbucks in Annie should not be portrayed as a pedophile. Some ideas, though different and interesting, go against the material, and Carlos's decision to make an avant garde piece out of a modern, realistic drama is at odds with Hannsberry's text.

It's hard to even mention the cast as the direction and staging never gives any of them a chance to really develop their characters. Carlos has sacrificed character and emotional impact for her dubious vision. Characters exchange dialogue without looking at each other. Some moments are punctuated with exaggerated arm movements. When angry or frustrated, characters bend at the waist and flail their arms. Mr. Lindner, the sole "white man" of the cast, is able to walk through the Younger's home without reason or invitation. None of the avant garde, expressionistic staging supports Hannsberry's text, and moreover, several of the actors consistently trip over their lines as memorizing the nonsensical staging obviously took priority over learning the renowned script.

What makes Carlos's staging all the more puzzling is that there are some scattered moments in which she actually takes a naturalistic approach and comes close to developing character and plot before replacing those moments with more avant garde/performance art/interpretive dance staging. The fact that Carlos's direction is 80% avant garde and 20% naturalistic suggests that even she knows that her expressionistic approach doesn't serve the piece, though I'd argue that if a director must compromise on their vision, their entire approach should be re-evaluated. The best directors know themselves, their style, and their limitations as well as the requirements and limitations of their material. You will never see a Mel Brooks production of Macbeth.

Anyone who's seen a production of A Raisin in the Sun or either of the two film versions of the piece knows that the play can be an incredibly moving and poignant statement on the sacrifices we make to achieve the American Dream. I wanted this production to be as emotionally stirring as possible, and sadly the directorial approach keeps the audience at arms length rather than drawing them in and soliciting an emotional response. As my parents taught me when I learned the f-word at the age of eight, there's a time and place for everything. A Raisin in the Sun is not the time or place for avant garde experimental theatre.

Running time: Approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes, including one 15 minute intermission.

Photo: Zell Miller III (L) as Walter Younger and Jolia Jones (R) as Lena Younger in A RAISIN IN THE SUN.

A RAISIN IN THE SUN, produced by UpRise! Productions, plays the Vortex Theatre at 2307 Manor Road, Austin, 78722 now thru August 17th. Performances are Thursday - Saturday at 8pm and Sundays at 6pm. Tickets are $10-$30. For tickets and information, please visit www.vortexrep.org.

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