Young Critics

Truly the best has been saved for last as Delaware Theatre Company begins performances of August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson. An incredible cast has managed to do justice to such a well-known playwright’s work. Directed by Kevin Ramsey, The Piano Lesson is playing at the Delaware Theatre Company now through April 27.

The Piano Lesson takes place in Pittsburgh in the year 1936 (during the Great Depression). The main events revolve around a pair of African-American siblings, Berniece and Boy Willie. They argue over whether or not to sell an old family heirloom, a piano. Boy Willie wishes to sell it in order to purchase land in Mississippi. Berniece argues fiercely against this, refusing to sell the piano, though she doesn’t use it, because there is so much family history behind it. Boy Willie and Berniece’s fight may start over selling the piano, but it soon becomes about issues deeper than that.

The Piano Lesson is a bit lengthy (a little over two hours) and there is some offensive language used. The purpose of the language is clear though; it is appropriate for the time period (it is simply they way things were in the 1930s, long before the civil rights movement) and the piece. The dialogue was spirited and at times flowed very quickly so listening is key in order not to miss anything. This shouldn’t deter anybody from seeing the play though. The Piano Lesson is a powerful story on its own and with the addition of an extremely talented cast it becomes all the more moving.

Tracey Conyer Lee plays the strong-willed and caring mother Berniece. She does especially well during the major conflict scenes with Boy Willie. Her passion is real and her talent is remarkable. Though her character isn’t often allowed to respond to Boy Willie’s lengthy monologues about his reasons for wanting to sell the piano she works well with what August Wilson gave her character to say.

They very talented Malik Yoba plays Boy Willie, the nagging brother of Berniece. Boy Willie could have come off as annoying (between his determination to get rid of the piano and his complete disregard for Berniece’s wishes) but instead he is amusing and (I believe) the life of the play. When things get too serious he somehow manages to lighten the mood.

The supporting cast is exceptional as well. Roger Robinson gives a strong performance as Doaker (especially when he recounts the piano’s history). Cedric Turner plays Winning Boy ,Doaker’s brother who turns up whenever he is broke, and Nathan Hinton plays Avery, an upcoming preacher who courts Berniece. Both parts were well cast and superbly acted. Maretha ,Berniece’s eleven year old daughter, is played by Lauryn Jones. She is young but talented and does relatively well next to actors so much older then herself. Finally there is Grace. She is a very minor character compared to the others but Joniece Abbott-Pratt works with the lines that she does have and completes this supporting cast.

I thought the most poignant scenes of the play were when the main male characters (Boy Willie, Lymon, Winning Boy, and Doaker) sang. Their voices were excellent and the way they sang the songs (and the meaning behind them) was so powerful that you truly felt their emotions. The first time the men of the play sing together was a truly powerful moment. Boy Willie begins to sing a “slave song” or a work song, almost on a whim. Lymon joins in, along with Winning Boy. It is Doaker though, that the song truly affects. As they sing he stops, and it is only him who hears the sound of chains, as if reliving a dark memory. The times when the play is most intense really express its overall theme – the importance of family and how your past shapes your present are prominent themes in the play.

Ina Mayhew must be recognized for her beautiful set design. The set really looks as if it could be part of a house. I thought the addition of actual running water was very impressive and added to the domesticity of everything. The attention to detail is remarkable. The piano is almost in the center of the stage. I thought that this particular positioning served as a permanent reminder that it was the catalyst of the events taking place.