A Heated Discussion
Reviewed by Joseph Klink
The Robey Theatre Company
Through May 15
RECOMMENDED
The Robey Theatre Company has elevated the voices of people-of-color for almost 30 years. Their co-founders, Ben Guillory (Artistic Director) and Danny Glover, have responded to the history and the everyday lives of BIPOC Americans with powerful works on the stage. When going to see a play titled A Heated Discussion, this is what their audience can expect to see. When there is no veil of fictional narrative, they can expect their own experience to play part in the discussion.
We enter that space with many of the same truths: voices of color must still compete to be heard on our national stage; compassion hardly reaches outside of local communities. Before responsibility for our history can be assumed with actions taking their place, we are forced to face America’s lack of complete recognition and removal of systemic racism. This is the truth, but seeing how this conversation has been had since the beginning of our nation, how will this time, in this space, be different?
The play begins with three Orishas, celestial entities who are overwhelmed with the fate of African-Americans today. They decide to convene the spirits of iconic figures, a credible roster of 13 of the most influential Black Americans in history, to share perspectives and encourage solutions. The playwright, Levy Lee Simon, masterfully constructs a space where 16 different characters can speak, think, and breathe naturally. The actors are then charged to both fill that space yet also keep it from feeling too full, congested and muddled. What follows is heated, yes, but important to witness. Guillory’s direction completely, and successfully, avoids being another echo chamber of repeating like-minded ideas. The play, itself, recognizes the expression of brilliant ideas that are never heard by those who need to hear them most. Furthermore, they fully address that Black people are not a monolith.
So how do all of these minds express different opinions, some of them inflammatory, with such conviction? Firstly, and most importantly, the actors work through it. Not a moment passes where each of them is not fully focused, making clear choices when speaking, yes, but also listening. No one waits to speak, and no character misses a word of what is said. If James Baldwin is going to defend sexuality and love to Dr. Francess Welsing Cress, with Bob Marley and Tupac Shakur in the room, the audience is going to be at the edge of their seats. Everyone participates, and everyone may not agree.
Without attempting to placate audiences with a “…and here’s what YOU can do” type of solution, A Heated Discussion takes a hard, constructive look at how things are. The historical figures are represented respectfully, several warmly, and they provide us a personal, shared perspective to reframe and reinvigorate this ongoing conversation.
The Robey Theatre Company, performing at the Los Angeles Theatre Center, Theatre Four, 514 S. Spring St., Dwntwn.; Thurs.-Sat., 8 pm; Sun., 3 pm; thru May 15. Running time 140 minutes with one 15 minute intermission. https://www.therobeytheatrecompany.org/events/a-heated-discussion-ab4df
