A forceful weaving of history, humanity and one man's quest for identity in 1904, Pulitzer Prize-winner August Wilson's "Gem of the Ocean" is a staple of most American theater surveys. Luckily, D.C.'s Arena Stage brings it to life far better than your bespectacled Literature 101 professor ever could.
The play unfolds in the Pittsburgh, Penn., home of Aunt Esther Tyler, a fiery, 287-year-old maven who takes in lost souls and "washes" them clean. When young Citizen Barlow comes to town, he seeks refuge with Esther, pleading for a chance to redeem himself from an unknown crime. He steadily learns more about himself and the road to redemption as he interacts with fellow housemates Eli and Black Mary, and by the play's end reaches a spiritual epiphany about the value of self-honesty and forgiveness - as Black Mary tells him early on, "If you can't be right with yourself, then you can't be right with anybody else."
As a nationally renowned bastion of American theater, Arena consistently attracts impressive actors. Sitting through an Arena production is always a good time to star-search, and "Gem" delivers. The small cast is stacked with young energy (Pascale Armand as Black Mary and Jimmon Cole as Citizen Barlow) and mature brilliance (Joseph Marcell - aka Jeffrey, Will Smith's butler in "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" - as lovable scoundrel Solly Two Kings). Fans of "The Wire" may recognize Eli as Clayton LeBouef from season one. Lynnie Godfrey's take on the wise, eccentric Aunt Esther Tyler is especially forthright and earns the most laughter of the lot.
As part of Wilson's 10-play cycle about the African American experience, "Gem" treats a variety of thematic issues with depth and credibility. Solly Two Kings shares moving tales from his days as a slave and spends much of the play planning a trip home to Alabama to rescue his sister, who writes letters to him about the hardships of life in the post-slavery South. The most direct message deals with knowing when personal conviction is more important than the law, and the gun-slinging, justice-hungry Caeser (played villainously by LeLand Gantt) does plenty to convince the audience that family ties and principles are far better than statutes and bills of sale.
Arena's high production value translates well to "Gem." Aunt Esther's blue-tinged living room is bold yet calming, and even features a working sink and convincing enough firepit under the stove. The one or two costumes for each character bolster period authenticity without detracting from stage action. A final blessing is the Fichlander Stage's 360-degree seating, making audience members feel more like voyeurs outside a window than diligent arts patrons.
Cons? Beware a short intermission, and don't despair if act one seems to crawl along. Things will pick up in act two, and all will be forgiven.
