THE CONVERT written by Danai Gurira and directed by Emily Mann is running through February 13th at the McCarter Theater in Princeton, NJ. I went down with my little theater wolf-pack and we were really glad to have made the trip. We were pumped up at the chance to see THE CONVERT before it travels to The Goodman in Chicago, then to Los Angeles' Center Theater Group.
If you want to quibble you could say THE CONVERT by Danai Gurira, billed as a world premier by the McCarter, is too long a play by about thirty minutes. But the performances are so good and the directing so expert and the writing so lovely that it seems churlish to complain. It was a true pleasure to see Cheryl Lynn Bruce's work as Mai Tamba. Her skills are impeccable and, as always, her work is memorable. To the inexpert ear, the Shona language and pidgin English as used in the production appeared well rendered by all of the actors. Very little information is lost though the dialogue of Chancellor is often difficult to understand. Pascale Armand begins as appropriately winsome in the role of Jekesa/Ester and finishes as a stalwart woman warrior. It is pleasure to watch the progress. And though we kind of know where things will end, we are surprised and gratified by the clear, unequivocal moral stance that Jekesa/Ester takes - that the playwright, Danai Gurira gives. Zainab Jah is convincing as Prudence. Here again, a character buds, then blooms nicely. LeRoy McClain and Kevin Mambo as Chilford, the aspiring priest and Chancellor, the opportunistic, African businessman are vastly out-done by the three actresses. The play is set in Salisbury/Harare, Zimbabwe in 1895-1897 at the time of the Ndebele-Shona uprising.
"What drives me artistically is the lack of subjective voices from the African world heard in the Western world. In the profession of storytelling, I am blessed to have the opportunity to bring one voice to the other, and therefore, in my small way, to contribute to more balance." by Danai Gurira from NOTE FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR by Emily Mann, director of THE CONVERT.
http://www.mccarter.org/theconvert/
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