POWER! STOKELY CARMICHAEL

Reviewed by Lovell Estell III
Lounge Theatre
Through June 11

Though he is not as well known or recognized as Malcom X or Martin Luther King, Stokely Carmichael, a.k.a., Kwame Toure, was a firebrand Black Nationalist, revolutionary and civil rights activist who left an indelible mark on the stormy era of the 1960’s. The man who coined the phrase, ‘Black Power’ was, as historian Peniel Joseph writes, “an organizer who had his hand in every major demonstration and event that occurred between 1960-1965.” In his solo show Meshaun Labrone offers an engaging look at the man and the period, although at times he seems more interested in fiery polemics and being entertaining rather than in stimulating thought and an assessment of Carmichael’s contributions to the movement. 

Framed as a talk given to demonstrators before the March on Fear in Canton, Mississippi in 1966, Labrone steps on stage attired in a business suit, and in short order warns the crowd what they are in for: “If you are out here for an exciting time, you need to go to the movies; people die out here.” Using a stunning array of video stills from the period, Labrone and director Jennifer Knight create a stark, sometimes bloody sketch of the times, and Labrone’s channeling of a range of characters is spot on, none more so than that of an old, beaten-down sharecropper who tells of a horrific lynching. Notwithstanding the discursive script, the show is commanding, anchored by Labrone’s infectious energy and passion.

The Lounge Theater, 6201 Santa Monica Blvd., Hlywd. https://hff16.org/3583. Running time: 65 minutes