Dee Freeman (Credit: Amandla Baraka)
Reviewed by Lovell Estell III
Hudson Guild Theater
Through April 27
RECOMMENDED
Growing up in the 60’s in rural Louisiana, Dee Freeman had the love of two parents and shared chores and fun with her siblings in a home that was located not far from one that her grandparents had lived in for many years.. “It was a wonderful environment for a child to grow up in”, she says with a smile — until a family tragedy intruded.
In her solo show, Freeman skillfully channels a colorful host of characters and constructs a vivid picture of country life as a young seven-year-old girl at a time when Jim Crow was the law of the land, and “the dirty boys in white” were always around to keep black folks in their place. In spite of this, she thrived, and developed a special bond with her grandfather.
Standing onstage in front of a grainy black and white still of “Archie”, she recounts in lively detail how her peculiar knack for adding numbers helped her grandpa (who was legally blind), keep track of his business ventures. He was a moonshiner and a loan shark, in addition to being a successful cotton farmer. “He didn’t trust banks”, she recalls with a laugh, “so he buried his money in cans on the farm.”
But one terrible night, her grandparents’ home burned down and they both perished. In the immediate aftermath, everyone pointed the finger of blame at the Klan. That trauma was hard enough on Dee and her family — but what was more shattering was that, in their investigation police discovered that her grandparents were dead before the fire consumed the house, and arrested her father for the crime.
In Act II, Freeman does a fine job of taking the audience through the remainder of this sad, complicated story, outlining the effects it had on her and her family, along with the legal elements, and her journey toward understanding and acceptance. It’s all told with passion, humor and simplicity. Juliette Jeffers directs.
The Hudson Guild Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd. Hollywood. Sat, 8 p.m., Sun. 3 p.m.,thru April 27. Running time, 70 minutes with an intermission. www.hudsontheatre.com or (323)856-4249
