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Buffalo Soldier

Reviewed by Lovell Estell III

Focus Productions and the El Portal Theatre

Through Nov. 30

This so–so retooling of Mitch Hale’s 1995 frontier drama that played to great acclaim in Los Angeles 20 years ago at Theatre/Theater tells the story of a trio of black US Army cavalrymen in 1874 on reconnaissance in search of Comanches, and of the tragic unraveling of the mission.

Corporal Jofum Wymo (Tony Williams) is continually tormented by memories of slavery; Sargent Isaac Williams (Will Catlett) is proud of his rank and committed to the government’s racist, genocidal objectives, so much so that he frequently refers to Indians as “savages”; and the scrappy, hard drinking Private Benjamin Kewconda (Kendall Johnson) is utterly indifferent to any higher purpose other than survival.

When a white Captain (Daniel Billet), enters the camp (Aaron Francis’s barren prairie scape), the play’s mutli-level racial dynamic and simmering resentments emerge. Shortly thereafter, Jofum’s capture of Comanche Chief Quanah Parker (Wasim No’mani) lights the fuse for an explosive, bloody finale.

The story is pregnant with ironies and boasts some enthralling twists, but uneven performances mar the production. No’mani’s performance resembles that of a 1960s TV cutout, often bordering on caricature. Billet comes across as suffering form hysteria most of the time, exhibiting none of the necessary edge or subtle venom John Di Fusco forged into the role 20-years-ago, and it is often difficult to make out what Johnson is saying because of his wispy mutterings. Sarah Wagner directs.

El Portal Theatre, 5269 Lankershim Blvd., N. Hlywd.; Thur.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 3 p.m., through Nov. 30. (818) 508-4200, www.elportaltheatre.com