Review: BLOOD KNOT at Mosaic Theater Company

BLOOD KNOT, at Mosaic Theater Company, is an apartheid-era Cain and Abel tale of half-brothers, Morris and Zachariah, who share a mother and a history, but have been separated by color and opportunity. Morris, whose light skin has allowed him to pass as white within South Africa's codified racial stratification, has benefited from opportunities unavailable to his darker-skinned brother.

Morris has come back to live with Zachariah as they save the money from Zach's laboring job with plans of escaping the segregated slums of Port Elizabeth and building a small farm they both can tend together. When Morris mistakenly begins an affectionate pen pal relationship with a white woman (whose brother is a police officer), the danger to the brothers and the threat to their shared dream rips open long-suppressed emotions.

Nathan Hinton as Zachariah exists in a limited world as apartheid restrictions have cut off education, job and housing choices. Zach now has even fewer opportunities to laugh and socialize with others in the year since his brother has arrived back in their shared life. Zachariah cannot even move from his job standing to secure a gate to a task that will spare his troubled feet. Although Zach is a man constrained by limits, the charismatic Hinton deeply mines the character for his moments seeking joy and companionship or resentment and hostility. Tom Story as Morris grapples with his responsibilities to his brother and the guilt he carries. Story shows us a surface of chatter and chores as well as Morrie's deeper churning conflict. The two actors are well-matched in their characters as brothers and, more importantly, in their artistic temperament and choices. It is a delight to see the spark as the two interact although I craved even more connection and more of the stakes between the two because when those real moments occurred on stage it was electric.

Anika Harden in a non-speaking role as Woman, drifts silently in and out at the edges of the story reminding us of the men's mother, pen pal, past sexual relationships and other women in the men's individual and shared history.

The two half-brothers share a knot that cannot be untied; they are linked in their humanity even as increasing government restrictions strain their relationship. With their current situation offering little hope, the two have a rich fantasy life of "what it" or their dreams of a future on rural farm where there are no people to impose rules.

BLOOD KNOT is an early work of South African playwright, actor, director, professor Athol Fugard. BLOOD KNOT was written in 1961 in a time of increasing resistance as the restrictions of apartheid continued to expand in the decade and a half after they were first imposed. Fugard originated the role of Morris in a production that was shut down due to prohibitions of a racially mixed cast to perform together. Fugard is known for his political plays exploring humanity, race, and identity, often through the lens of South African apartheid.

Director Joy Zinoman, founding artistic director of Studio Theatre which she led for 35 years, has a history of exploring Fugard's work, previously directing "MASTER HAROLD" ... AND THE BOYS, MY CHILDREN! MY AFRICA! and THE ROAD TO MECCA (with Tana Hicken and Holly Twyford). Zinoman is known for rich theatrical detail, but in this production the busyness of tasks and use of varied props distract from latching onto a real ongoing connection between the characters. The relationship between the brothers is complex and often rightly obscured, but we don't feel enough of the shared history, the stakes of their symbiotic future, and the day-to-day connection of the brothers.

In a heightened moment of the play, the characters ask, "What just happened?" And while Morris and Zachariah are surprised and unwilling to honestly explore, the audience should be far more clear on the personal roots of what did indeed happen between the brothers beyond what the text and blocking dictate. The force of their bond as half-brothers and the countervailing power of the society in which they live should be more richly revealed over the course of the play.

Scenic designer Debra Booth places the tight, corrugated metal shanty far downstage although the stage of the Lang Theater can accommodate a deep, multi-level set. The set is literally in your face. This effectively reinforces the oppressive claustrophobia of the characters being trapped in the shack with no other evident options. The set uses a range of earthen tones, with few bright colors to spark joy. Brandee Mathies' costumes continue the palate in functional work clothes and a gentleman's dandy attire. Even the footwear of Zachariah and Morrie are an important detail. Properties Designer Michelle Elwyn likewise was tasked with numerous specific details - from a teakettle and basin to numerous wrapped packages that usher us into the men's cramped Port Elizabeth home. The text alludes to other senses and we are fully in that environment - the smell of feet and of foot salts, the unaccustomed feel of quality wool or soft ostrich skin, or the scent of perfumed stationary. Michael Giannitti's lighting design supports this world, shifting us not only from day to night but from the play's more literal moments to the allegorical.

The play is part of a repertory (the two-year-old Mosaic Theater Company's first). "South Africa: Then & Now" pairs BLOOD KNOT with A HUMAN BEING DIED THAT NIGHT, adapted for the stage by Nicholas Wright and based on psychologist Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela's memoir of interrogating torturer Eugene de Kock (known by many as 'Prime Evil') and her search for truth and reconciliation in building a post-apartheid South Africa. The run of the repertory is accompanied by a community discussion series on a variety of topics stemming from the two plays. (For information on the series schedule, topics and speaker bios, see the Mosaic Theater website.

Runtime: 2:20 including one intermission

BLOOD KNOT by Athol Fugard, directed by Joy Zinoman, part of the "South Africa: Then & Now" repertory with A HUMAN BEING DIED THAT NIGHT, runs through April 30 with performances Mondays - Saturdays at 8PM, and Saturdays and Sundays at 3PM. Student matinee at 11AM on Thursday, April 6. Open captioned shows at 8PM on Saturday April 22, and 3PM on Sunday, April 23. The production is at the Atlas Performing Arts Center, Lang Theatre, at 1333 H Street, NE, in Washington. For tickets or for more information, please see the Mosaic Theater Company website.

Photos by Stan Barouh.

Top and next: (L to R) Tom Story as Morris and Nathan Hinton as Zachariah; center photo: Hinton (L) and Anika Harden (R) as Woman; subsequent photos: Story and Hinton.

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