Rufus Norris's revival of James Baldwin's 1955 play has been a great summer hit for the National. That is in part owing to the wonderful music, with the London Community Gospel Choir led by the Rev Bazil Meade belting out a succession of hymns (could a Harlem community church have been that good?) and a jazz trio playing a through-composed jazz score by Tim Sutton. But The Amen Corner is a play with music, not a musical, and the drama was played with great strength and subtlety. Marianne Jean-Baptiste played Sister Margaret, dominant pastor of her church, who is confronted by the return of a prodigal and terminally ill husband and the departure of a wayward musical son. Her position in the community, meanwhile, is threatened by a rebellious congregation stirred up by a rival elder (Cecilia Noble). A two-tier set brought out the two parts of Sister Margaret's life effectively. The jazz musicians in the space above perhaps made the church hall somewhat less than realistic (especially when you can see the red light on the digital keyboard - surely it could be covered up with a bit of masking tape), and the Olivier's cosmic space was filled out with tenement scenes that were unnecessary but added atmosphere. Three-act plays are a challenge in a theatre where the convention is to have just one interval, and it was perhaps inevitable that the first half (ie two acts) felt rather long. But the third act took us to an enormously affecting conclusion, with text and music in perfect balance. And all accessible for £12, thanks to those amazing Travelex folk.
Tuesday, 16 July 2013
The Amen Corner, James Baldwin
Rufus Norris's revival of James Baldwin's 1955 play has been a great summer hit for the National. That is in part owing to the wonderful music, with the London Community Gospel Choir led by the Rev Bazil Meade belting out a succession of hymns (could a Harlem community church have been that good?) and a jazz trio playing a through-composed jazz score by Tim Sutton. But The Amen Corner is a play with music, not a musical, and the drama was played with great strength and subtlety. Marianne Jean-Baptiste played Sister Margaret, dominant pastor of her church, who is confronted by the return of a prodigal and terminally ill husband and the departure of a wayward musical son. Her position in the community, meanwhile, is threatened by a rebellious congregation stirred up by a rival elder (Cecilia Noble). A two-tier set brought out the two parts of Sister Margaret's life effectively. The jazz musicians in the space above perhaps made the church hall somewhat less than realistic (especially when you can see the red light on the digital keyboard - surely it could be covered up with a bit of masking tape), and the Olivier's cosmic space was filled out with tenement scenes that were unnecessary but added atmosphere. Three-act plays are a challenge in a theatre where the convention is to have just one interval, and it was perhaps inevitable that the first half (ie two acts) felt rather long. But the third act took us to an enormously affecting conclusion, with text and music in perfect balance. And all accessible for £12, thanks to those amazing Travelex folk.
