I had such a lovely time in Ashland, Oregon at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in June I thought, “I’m going to go back and see a couple of shows.” One in Shakespeare’s cannon that I love and another I have never seen.
The Henry cycle is one of my favorites Henry IV, I, II, Henry V and Henry VI. they are about history but really what intrigues me about them are the characters and character development throughout and then the human journey so many of them take, the power struggles, the dignity, the honor won and lost on the battlefield and the gallantry of knighthood. The love and passion and weight of the time.

I have never seen A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry the play or the movie starring Sydney Poitier, Ruby Dee and others. So, I was super excited to see this production because it was directed by Tim Bond who blew me away last season with his Jitney by August Wilson.

It is incredibly difficult to produce a consistently high level of theatre over and over and over. Setting a bar for yourself either personally or as a company and aim for that every time. I think we all strive for something great and it’s wonderful when we succeed. We also need to be honest with ourselves when we have fallen short. The two shows I saw this trip fell a bit short for me though others have found them compelling.

My first night I saw Shakespeare’s Henry IV, I directed by Rosa Joshi. There were so many things that didn’t gel with this production it’s hard to even find something that worked. I will say this with the caveat that every night is different so this might have been an off night. This production did not feel unified. I’m not sure how the design process works at OSF but this particular show, for me, lacked unity. The set, sound, lights, costumes and fight choreography did not work with one another, did not feel cohesive, the elements did not help me understand or feel mood, tempo or rhythm in this three hour production. Sometimes that happens. It sort of felt over designed, too many different ideas.

I’ve seen other Shakespeare productions Ms. Joshi has directed, and with the exception of Julius Caesar, they seem to lack a sense of humanity. Unfortunately, this production suffers from the same fate. As an example, the scene between Hotspur and Lady Percy is a love scene. The scene lacked relationship, history, passion, love and the real fear of what may befall the couple. Though Hotspur is hot headed he is still a soldier and has honor. He is full of boldness and chivalry, passion, courage. He is impulsive. He is described in the play as “the very theme of honour’s tongue” and is the epitome of masculinity. He is not petty nor petulant nor is he the villain. These attributes are all in the play and if they had been explored, perhaps Hotspur may have been portrayed differently to reveal a very complicated and compelling human being. For me, that is what was missing from almost every character- the human being living through very complicated circumstances. It is the human being that we as the audience key into, we understand and recognize ourselves in the human condition being explored in front of us.

All Shakespeare does is write about the human condition, if you miss that, there is no story. As I said, some folks I’ve spoken with liked the show however I feel they missed out on what might have been an even deeper experience. It’s still running so check it out.

A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry directed by Tim Bond. Mr. Bond had such a masterful hand with Jitney, last season I was really looking forward to seeing this production. What was most impressive about Jitney was the rhythm the ensemble found which transported me. I was hoping for something similar with Raisin but it didn’t happen.

Though there were some fine performances most notably Greta Oglesby as Lena Younger and Lynnette R. Freeman and Ruth Younger the cast never found the rhythm of the play. It’s a bit challenging to describe what I mean by that. It felt off. I felt Mr. Butler III as Walter Lee Younger was in a different play, which was jarring emotionally and musically and kept the truth, the pain, the desperation just out of reach. Perhaps he was working too hard and forcing something to happen rather than letting it happen. The language is so rich with yearnings, hopes and dreams and a history of discrimination and the quest for identity to simply live in those truths might have been enough.

The design of the show was somewhat challenging as well. There is something about the cramped quarters of this Chicago apartment which facilitates the need to escape, to dream of a better life that I lost within the vastness of the stage, the high ceilings and the choice to play out rather than to the other character or characters. A Raisin in the Sun has now closed.

Other’s may see this production differently and that is the joy of live theatre. I have been told there was a fantastic production, at least two plus decades ago, at Artists Repertory Theatre that was something spectacular.

There are still a few shows yet to open and the season runs through October 24th. I wish I could get down there to see Yellow Face, King Hedley II, & Smote This… So, go! Support live theatre and take a trip to Ashland, Oregon and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Great Restaurants, wonderful hiking and kayaking, and incredible theatrical experiences that you may remember for a lifetime.

Oregon Shakespeare Festival