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NAT TURNER:  FOLLOWING FAITH.

Reviewed by Paul Birchall

At Theater/Theatre

Through December 6.

Some historical plays boast narratives that are rich in drama.  Other have worthy themes but are a little flat in their presentation. 

And then there’s playwright Paula Neiman’s rather plodding biopic on the life of Nat Turner.  Turner was the slave who led a brief, bloody revolt in Virginia in 1831 that resulted in the deaths of at least 60 white men, women, and children.  For this he was subsequently tried and executed.

This is intrinsically compelling subject matter — It almost screams for a dramatic treatment full of fury and rage.  Instead, Neiman’s play is essentially a souped-up Wikipedia entry that makes little attempt to develop any emotional connection to the characters.  Much of the work seems in accord with the plot of William Styron’s “Confessions of Nat Turner.” There are also quotations taken from the historical testimony of witnesses at the trial of this great slave revolutionary. 

Young Nat Turner (Tarnue Massaquoi) is raised by his loving mother (Sada Moore) and grandmother (Baadja-Lyne Ouba).  As a boy he learns to read and write, and is told by his kindly master that he will earn his freedom.  Instead, after this master dies, Nat is sold to other harsher masters and is separated from his family. 

As the years pass, Nat’s understandable hatred of slavery and desire to be free spark him to gather a troop of fellow slaves and freedmen and launch a fierce rebellion – but with tragic results. 

In some of the play’s most gripping moments, the interchange among the characters is bracketed by scenes in which witnesses testify against Turner at his trial. 

The events are recounted by a cast of passionate and dynamic performers.  Massaquoi’s Nat is coiled with anger – but it’s hard to derive any sense of what he’s like inside.  Other performers are hobbled by director Dan Martin’s desire to make clear that this is an “important” work. 

Every time a character appears on stage, it’s as if he or she is bearing the weight of the world.  There’s no deftness, and while one can’t expect lightness in this sort of story, the ponderousness becomes increasingly off-putting.  The pacing is sluggish as well, with even the least important patches of dialogue declaimed as if they were some weighty Shakespearean monologue. 

The production’s most engaging moments are those in which the performers find aspects of their characters’ actual personalities.  Ouba’s lovely, feisty turn as Nat’s grandmother is wonderful, as is Jaimyon Parker’s searingly angry performance as one of Nat’s more bloodthirsty followers.  Otherwise, the plodding narrative never approaches the potential of its subject matter. 

Theater/Theatre, 5041 W. Pico Blvd, Los Angeles.  Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m..  Through December 6.  Running time: two and a half hours with a 15 minute intermission.  https://buytickets.at/naturner.