Review: KING HEDLEY II at The Black Rep

The Black Rep opened their final show of the season with their production of August Wilson’s KING HEDLEY II. Wilson’s play, set in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, is Shakespearean in its tragedy. It is the 9th of his 10-play cycle examining Black life in 20th century America. In his program notes, The Black Rep Artistic Director Ron Himes says this play is “perhaps the darkest and most tragic of all plays in the cycle.” Wilson’s script contains themes of family betrayal, revenge, vindication, deceitful lies, crime, murder, unwanted pregnancy, and abortion. 

Himes directed this production. It stars Ka’ramuu Kush (King Hedley II), Denise Thimes (Ruby), A.C. Smith (Stool Pigeon), Alex Jay (Tonya), Geovonday Jones (Mister), and J Samuel Davis (Elmore). Himes and his cast lean into the authenticity of Wilson’s scripted dialogue and deliver incredibly realistic performances. Wilson's scripted vernacular, Himes’ honed direction, the casts’ colloquial delivery of their lines, and their edgy portrayals create a gritty verisimilitude.  

It is the naturalism in the portrayals that give this production its bite. Each of the cast members give meticulous lifelike performances to draw the audience into Wilson’s story. Kush delivers a measured introspective portrayal of the titular tragic antihero. The audience feels his struggle has he tries to right his path and make good, but his intentions are derailed by his inability to rise above the cycle of poverty and his learned behaviors. Kush is convincing as King, but the realism in his dialect left some of his lines garbled and difficult to hear. 

Thimes as Ruby, Davis as Elmore, and Smith as Stool Pigeon delivered exceptional portrayals of the elder characters attempting to be the voice of reason. Ruby and Elmore’s dysfunctional personal histories fuel the tragedy despite their attempts to lead toward a less tragic outcome. Thimes and Elmore had immense chemistry as the flirty seniors. Smith’s Stool Pigeon is the kooky neighbor who quotes bible verses in his attempt to exert a positive influence. He makes Stool Pigeon extremely likeable. An actor could easily go too far and make this character outlandish, but Smith’s fantastic performance takes it just to the edge while keeping the character’s logic rational. 

Alex Jay perfectly captured Tonya’s determination and courage to stop the cycle of mistakes at all costs. She conveyed Tonya’s adamant and decisive strength to stand up to the demanding King. Her emotional portrayal of the character’s cognitive clairvoyance was spectacular. Geovonday Jones as Mister capably captured the character’s partnership with King as a willing accomplice. Mister is King’s inner conscious to justify his illegal activity and reprehensible actions. 

On opening night, there were a handful of instances where it was apparent an actor momentarily lost their next line. The cancelled preview the evening prior may have affected the actors’ timing. Having additional performances under their belt will right this, and while noticeable, it did not affect the overall impact of the production.  

Himes collaborated with his technical crew to create the impoverished neighborhood. Scenic Designer Timothy Jones, Lighting Designer Travis Richardson, Sound Designer Alan Phillips, and Costume Designer Kristie Chiyere Osi created a dirt-poor representation of the poverty-stricken Hill District. They gave the actors exactly what they needed to tell this compelling story and add to the performance’s realism. 

August Wilson’s KING HEDLEY is a deeply tragic play with scripted dialogue that is conversational, adding to the authenticity of his story. This production at The Black Rep is superbly directed and extremely well-acted bringing Wilson’s words to life with genuineness. This is another production that illustrates the exceptional vision and work of Ron Himes and his entire team at The Black Rep. 

If you have not attended a play at The Black Rep, now is the time. Performances of KING HEDLEY II will continue through July 14th at The Edison Theater on the Washington University campus. Click the link below to purchase tickets.  

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