Theater Review: Slave Play

Playwright Jeremy O. Harris’ incredibly thought-provoking Slave Play brings racism, sex, and power to the forefront of conversation.

First of all, the less you know about Slave Play before seeing it, the better. The shock and surprises that arise in this New York Theatre Workshop production are staggering, but we’ll start with this brief of the first act. There are three interracial couples that you encounter throughout the first act. There is a slave woman, Kaneisha (Teyonah Parris), and her overseer, Jim (Paul Alexander Nolan). Then, there is Alana (Annie McNamara) a plantation owner’s wife and Phillip (Sullivan Jones) her biracial house slave. Finally, there is a white indentured laborer named Dustin (James Cusati-Moyer) and Gary (Ato Blankson-Wood), a black slave who is his overseer. In each of the scenes we see between each couple, we see a power dynamic play out, particularly in their (sometimes violent) sexual acts. [SPOILERS AHEAD]

After the first act, we suddenly learn that this play does not actually take place in the Antebellum South. It is, in fact, present-day at a couples therapy program (“Antebellum Sexual Performance Therapy”) run by an interracial couple: Teá (Chalia La Tour) and Patricia (Irene Sofia Lucio). Each of these couples is attending the program because the black partners are no longer sexually satisfied by/with their white partners; this program is supposed to help them with that.

Under Robert O’Hara’s direction, the tight and nimble small ensemble play off of each other seamlessly and amplify the unapologetic, forward nature of the play. The emotional volleys back and forth are constant. The history of race in America and its traumas and using sex as power interplay throughout the entire show.

The set design by Clint Ramos is a back wall of mirrors reflecting the audience. It’s an overt reminder that the audience is a part of this story (and history), and it’s a reminder of the conversations we should all be having. Also ever-present within the mirror is an image of a plantation; it’s a reminder of America’s history.

You’ll be thinking (and talking about) Slave Play long after it’s (somewhat uncomfortable) conclusion.

For more information and tickets to The Slave Play, click here. 

Photo Credit: Joan Marcus