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Immediate Family
Reviewed by Lovell Estell III
Mark Taper Forum
Through June 7
Interracial pairings are no longer a big deal in the American cultural experience, but in Paul Oakley Stovall’s comedy, it’s the dual taboos of race and sexual orientation that gets the pot boiling.
The Bryant clan has gathered at the family’s upscale Hyde Park, Chicago digs (a beautiful living room and kitchen design by John Iacovelli) for the wedding of youngest son Tony (Kamal Angelo Bolden). This is a group with issues of estrangement, but they are more or less held together by the no-nonsense Evy (Shanèsia Davis), an Afro-centric high school teacher and fervent Christian, who values the traditional and the respectable legacy of her deceased parents.
Added to the mix is a bi-racial, resentful half-sister named Ronnie (Cynda Williams) – she’s an artist who lives overseas — and mouthy, unapologetic lesbian Nina (J. Nicole Brooks), who, although a neighbor is more like family. But it’s the arrival of Jesse (Bryan Terrell Clark) that really complicates the occasion. Jesse is gay, plans on coming out to his family, and has brought his Swedish lover Kristian (Mark Jude Sullivan) along for the announcement.
When Kristian appears, and the true nature of his relationship with Jesse is revealed, the reactions are somewhat predictable. Tony is initially incredulous and put off, Nina and Ronnie are accepting, while Evy provides a greeting that would freeze hell’s fires. It all works out at the end (sort of), but there remains a transparent, sitcom-ish sheen to all of this.
Fortunately, Stovall uses the scenario to effectively incise the ugly prejudices, obsessions and ignorance about race and sexual orientation that forever plague society. He also has an ear for humorous dialogue, but it’s the simple warts-and-all humanity he imparts to these characters that is most appealing The cast performs superbly well under the equally fine direction of Phylicia Rashad.
Center Theatre Group at The Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave., Downtown; Tues.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 7 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 2 p.m.; through June 7, (213) 972-4400, www.centertheatregroup.org
