By John Lyle Belden
“Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” is a blues song with a terrible history. It is also the title of an August Wilson drama now on stage at the Indiana Repertory Theatre.
This is part of Wilson’s famous “American Century Cycle” of ten plays reflecting the African-American experience – nearly all set in Pittsburgh – each in a different decade of the 20th Century. Director Timothy Douglas is particularly qualified to bring “Joe Turner” to life in Indy, having worked with Wilson decades ago at Yale Repertory Theatre, as well as directing nearly all the cycle over the years, including “Jitney” and “Gem of the Ocean” at IRT.
It is 1911 in the boarding house of Seth Holly (Keith Randolph) and his wife Bertha (Stephanie Berry). Black, yet free their entire lives, they rent rooms to many who come up from the South seeking opportunity and some sort of genuine freedom. Emancipation was at least 46 years earlier, so we mainly meet members of its first generation, dealing with a world failing to keep its hard-won promises to them.
Bynum (DeShawn Harold Mitchell) carries the once-hidden tradition of the “root-man” with his herbal remedies and charms, as well as the power of “binding” through the song he received during an encounter with The Shiny Man. Though Seth is proudly pragmatic, he maintains a surprisingly high tolerance for Bynum’s “heebee-jeebee.”
Jeremy (Jacques Jean-Mary) is a young man with more confidence than sense. A day laborer on highway construction, he’s proficient at the guitar and at flirting with women. He works his charms on young, beautiful Mattie (Kaitlyn Boyer), who initially sought Bynum’s help with her broken heart.
The mysterious and constantly agitated Herald Loomis (Shane Taylor) arrives with young daughter Zonia (Kerah Lily Jackson). With an aggressively desperate attitude, he seeks his wife and Zonia’s mother. Despite his concerns, Seth rents them a room but keeps to himself that the women Harold seeks may be past resident Martha Pentecost (Lilian A. Oben).
Discreet and ladylike Molly (Dane Figueroa Edidi) also takes a room for a while.
Seth makes extra money with his skill at making pots, pans, and other objects from sheet metal. His main customer is the peddler Rutherford Selig (Peter Bisgaier), a White man with a reputation as a “people finder.” Selig’s grandfather and father hunted slaves, but he keeps a good rapport with the Black community, helping those scattered by the post-war diaspora to find one another.
While playing outside, Zonia meets and spends time innocently with neighbor boy Reuben (Christian Makai Lucas).
Revealing the genius of Wilson, the skill of Douglas, and the talent of the cast, while there is not much action, there is a whole lot going on. Smith is mostly bluster with just enough edge as Seth. It should be noted that true to his time, Mr. Holly does use the “N” word quite a bit. It shows a delineation in his mind between Blacks like himself with at least a small amount of property and standing, and the poor and often uneducated individuals he notices in increasing numbers. Still, he is reasonable and in this house his word is law, with subtle deference to his wife.
With maternal wisdom and delicious biscuits, Berry as Bertha manages to keep a civil and even cheerful atmosphere even as a palpable tension grows among the house’s residents. We witness in Boyer’s portrayal of Mattie a steady emergence from naiveté. Jean-Mary gives us a somewhat likeable Jeremy, who seems to insist on growing up the hard way. With Bynum, Mitchell gives what could be seen as an un-serious character (analogous to a hippie in later decades) surprising depth and gravitas. He is a keeper of ancient wisdom that somehow survived the slavery era.
Taylor makes the most of a role that tends to get award nominations. He wears his struggles like Herald Loomis’s ever-present heavy coat and black hat. Eventually, we will come to find the source of the man’s pain, wrapped in the chains of a certain tragic song.
Jackson and Lucas are impressive as well – especially in handling a down-front and center scene that includes a monologue for Reuben. (Alternate young actors are Amor Coleman and Joshua Klaman.)
Also notable is the excellent stage design by Tony Cisek, open and dynamic yet giving the impression of these people’s place in the unadorned foundational structure of the Steel City.
A perfect outing for Black History Month, “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” runs through Feb. 22 at the IRT, 140 W. Washington St. in the heart of downtown Indianapolis. Get info and tickets at irtlive.com.
