BWW Reviews: Rep's PIANO LESSON Alive with Heart and Soul

The Seattle Rep continues their long standing relationship with the works of one of America's greatest playwrights with their current production of August Wilson's "The Piano Lesson". As usual the show comes alive with a rich and stirring history only made more poignant through the stunning direction and performances.

The story is basically a tug-of-war between the past and the future as siblings Bernice and Boy Willie (Erika LaVonn and Stephen Tyrone Williams) fight over whether to sell the family's ornate antique piano so Boy Willie can use the money to buy his own farm or keep the piano to honor the generations of struggles through slavery and freedom, love and death that this piano represents. And along the way we examine the way even people with a shared history can view the past differently and the opposite ways they approach their future.

Wilson's dialog creates such a rich and layered piece with simple conversations creating a complex and emotional world. Each line and moment builds so beautifully one on top of the other that you are effortlessly taken through the story as it washes over you. And the success of this feeling is due in no small part to director Timothy Bond and his cast and crew. Bond manages to create such a stark and honest take of this world and keeps the layers of this story well focused and concise. And I must give special kudos to scenic designer William Bloodgood and his staff for not only creating such a perfectly appointed set but for the gorgeous work they did in creating that incredibly detailed and beautiful carved piano. That set piece is truly a thing of beauty.

LaVonn and Williams make for outstanding adversaries yet never fall into the trap of keeping their side of the argument one-note or static. Each manages to show some amazing growth and change over the course of the play and incorporate the tiniest cracks in their armor and arguments making for very deep and meaningful characterizations. Yaegel T. Welch shines as Boy Willie's friend Lyman and even through the more comic aspects of his role brings in some powerful moments, as does G. Valmont Thomas as the slick Wining Boy. And Derrick Lee Weeden brings in such power and grace to an already strong piece. But then the entire ensemble works as such a well-oiled machine making this world so uniform and complete.

Wilson's work is always powerful and the Rep has a history of taking them on with care and making them even more so. With my three letter rating system I have no choice but to give a Rep produced August Wilson play a solid YAY. They are just always that good and this is no exception.

"The Piano Lesson" performs at the Seattle Rep through February 8th. For tickets or information contact the Seattle Rep box office at 206-443-2222 or visit them online at www.seattlerep.org.

To post a comment, you must register and login.