Fences
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Johnson, Thompson, Lawrence
Photo by Randy Rovang
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By January Riddle
Good fences make good neighbors. That adage refers to boundaries, the reminders, and the keeping of them. In August Wilson’s Pulitzer and Tony-award winning play, fences keep people and things in and/or out. The ramifications of that reality drive the plot and the characters.
Wilson once said that the descendents of slaves “lived in pursuit of their own dream; that they could breathe free, finally, and stand to meet life with the force of dignity and whatever eloquence the heart could call upon.” His second play in a 10-play series, Fences stood to illuminate the familial and cultural struggles taking place in the condensed world of one family’s home during one transitional decade.
Thanks to a wonderful production at Cygnet Theatre, the late playwright’s intentions are explored with integrity, and his artful language is not only respected but emboldened. Delicia Turner Sonnenberg’s scrupulous direction, Mike Buckley’s traditionally authentic set and a dedicated cast have recreated the backyard world of a working-class black family in 1950s Pittsburgh.
Patriarch Troy Maxson, powerfully played by Antonio “T.J.” Johnson, is a larger-than- life man with a heavy past who carries the weight of a dream destroyed by racism. A star baseball player in high school, born too soon for major league integration, he now defines himself by his responsibilities. As his share-cropper father taught him, he must take care of his family, no matter what. Although Troy thinks that building the backyard fence will keep his people safe, the changing world and his teenage son Cory refute that message. The closer the fence gets to completion, the more unwieldy his world becomes, threatening to erode what dignity he managed to salvage.
Saving his sweet and simple war-wounded brother Gabriel from institutionalization takes most of the compassion Troy is able to muster. Dexterously wrought by Mark Christopher Lawrence, Gabriel supposes his life’s mission is to save friends and family from the hellhounds that could carry them off to horrific eternity.
Troy’s life is not all bleak, thanks to his understanding and devoted wife Rose (sensitively and elegantly played by Sylvia M’Lafi Thompson) and his best buddy, former prison pal and fellow garbage collector Jim Bono (gently crafted by Grandison M. Phelps, III) Together, they joke, laugh, and love, reveling in stories created in mutual empathy and exaggerated by time. Nevertheless, a tense undercurrent threatens to sweep away that special trust.
The younger generation sees no such hazard. Lyons, Troy’s older son by his previous marriage, and Cory are oblivious to the perils that Troy believes lurk behind every achievement and opportunity. The dapper Lyons (a charming Laurence Michael Brown) refuses to adopt Troy’s pessimism, preferring a wooing-and-winning approach to life. Too young to escape Troy’s increasingly cynical and abusive tirades and rules, Cory alternately rails against the oppressive paternal enclosure and attempts to understand it. Balancing Johnson’s hefty and expansive Troy requires complete attention, and Patrick Kelly skillfully maintains the tricky equilibrium of Cory’s character.
Inevitably, Troy‘s fence proves inadequate protection. He is unable to cope with the life he perceives as joyless and unwilling to assume responsibility for the chaos he finally brings home. It is up to Rose to pick up the pieces of a splintered family and raise Raynell, another child. Capriciously played by Madeline “Maddy” Hornbuckle, Raynell makes us believe the gate will swing open for the hope she symbolizes.
To be an audience member in a well-built Fences production is to allow heart and soul to be wrenched, wrung out, and flapped open to dry like Rose’s laundry on the line. It is a cleansing and ultimately satisfying experience, but, despite the humor and the entertaining storytelling, it is not always an easy one.
Cygnet’s production is worth every emotional minute.
Fences plays through February 24 on Cygnet Theatre Company’s stage, 6663 El Cajon Blvd. #N, San Diego.
Performances are Th-Sat at 8pm; Sun at 2pm and 7pm.
Tickets are $27-31
For information and reservations, call 619-337-1525 or visit www.cygnettheatre.com
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