A Comic Drama of Manners…and Racism

Smart People – Writers Theatre

 

A physician, an actress, a psychologist and a neurobiologist walk into a bar…well, not exactly, but it does sound like the opening line of a great joke. In Lydia R. Diamond’s smart, new play about smart, young people, the lives of four racially diverse Harvard intellectuals chance to cross paths. The play is set in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It spans the years between 2007-2009, during the time Barak Obama ran for the presidency and when he was sworn into office. The premise of this timely, intellectually stimulating, contemporary comic drama is that a Caucasian scientist/Harvard professor has made an eye-opening discovery. Through an incredible amount of research about cerebral response, Brian White has determined that racism is genetic and it’s in the brain of every single white person.

Racism continually rears its ugly head among everyone, no matter how smart, compassionate or enlightened they claim to be. Brian sees this and wonders why? The scientist’s learned, through his data that, despite a person’s intelligence, racist views are inevitable because they’re inherited. They’re genetic. Prejudice obviously gets in the way of honest communication, but it’s not a matter of choice. A white individual isn’t entirely to blame for a trait with which he’s born. 

Often funny, sophisticated and very adult, this drama tells its story through the lives and voices of four likable, diverse and intelligent individuals, all with a Harvard connection. Brian White, while cynically trying to teach his freshman class, is desperately attempting to have his almost scandalous hypothesis accepted and validated by the University. Valerie Johnston is an attractive, young African American MFA graduate who cleans people’s houses in order to be a working actress. She also volunteers in the Obama campaign. Ginny Yang is a pretty, very articulate and opinionated Chinese-Japanese American professor who studies race relations and identity among Asian American women. Jackson Moore is a struggling young African American hospital intern and a doctor at an affordable Boston clinic. As these four find their relationships developing and merging, they also discover that, ironically, they’re six degrees of separation. The foursome learn that, despite their accumulated intelligence and learning, racism is a part of each of their lives.

In her Writers Theatre debut, director Hallie Gordon has sharply and skillfully guided her cast through Ms. Diamond’s exquisite play. Each character has his individual and collective moments in the light, as their theatrical lives spill out upon Collette Pollard’s sparse, three-quarter round scenic design. In a cold palette of black and chrome, Pollard’s set consists of a few chairs, benches and tables, all flanked by a stage and a large series of LED screens, featuring the great projection work of Deidre Searcy, with a powerful lighting design by Kathy A. Perkins.

This experienced cast couldn’t be better. A favorite actor all over Chicago, most recently at Steppenwolf (“The Burn,” “The Crucible”), Erik Hellman is compelling and convincing as Brian White. This is his story, in many ways, and his character’s abrasive, arrogant behavior toward the others is often shocking, but understandable. White’s frustration, not with being understood, but at being accepted, is palpable. This is another great performance by one of the Windy City’s finest actors. Julian Parker, who plays Jackson Moore, is Brian’s best (and only) friend. This talented actor, who appeared in Steppenwolf’s controversial drama, “Pass Over,” is strong and passionate in this role. His intern is, like Brian, exhausted and constantly butting heads with his superiors. But Parker’s character brings empathy and compassion to those who need it, despite his head being so full of conflicting information, ideas and needs.

Deanna Myers is brilliant as Ginny Yang. Making a big splash  at Writers in “The Scene,” Ms. Myers has also left her mark appearing on stages all over Chicagoland. Here she’s a very biased, somewhat cocky Asian smarty pants, a tenured psych professor whose articulate, rapid-fire delivery of facts and opinions leaves no room for anyone else’s viewpoints. One of her best scenes is a monologue delivered to a store clerk, as Ginny forcefully attempts to return something she’s bought. In this scene, as in many others, Ms. Myers is very funny. Making her first appearance at Writers Theatre, Kayla Carter is quite promising as MFA actress Valerie Johnston. She, too, has her own, sound ideas about matters that are important to her, including how to play Portia, why Obama will be good for this country and when and if she’ll accept the advances of Jackson Moore. Ms. Meyers brings affability, warmth, vitality and a sense of humor to her character.

Hallie Gordon’s production of Lydia R. Diamond’s smart, sexy new drama is both funny and thought-provoking. This comedy of manners…and racism…isn’t one of those plays where the theatergoer can just sit back and relax, letting the play simply wash over him. In fact, the recorded pre-show announcement urges the audience to lean in and engage in what they’re about to see and hear. Truer words were never spoken. This is a play for and about, as Ms. Diamond says, “Smart People.” And it’s not to be missed.

Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

 

Presented March 21-June 10 by Writers Theatre, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe, IL.

Tickets are available at the box office, by calling them at 847-242-6000 or by going to www.writerstheater.org.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.