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| ABOUT TRaC |
MultiTRaC Spring 2006
Thank You and Good Nite
Bulrusher at Urban Stages Poetic words of hope, imagination, and distress blanket Bulrusher , a play by Eisa Davis performed on UrbanStages located on West 30th street in the city. The stage is small, but with the soft background sounds and body language of the actors, it becomes grand with vibrancy. A black, young woman, Bulrusher (Zabryna Guevara), whose Southern accent is evident as alone she speaks poetically to the river is first to walk onto the stage. The river holds a connection to her because she was abandoned by her mother there as a new-born. The special gift she possesses results in her living in her own little world created by her hometown Boonville, California. In contrast, the outside world struggles with the beginnings of the Civil Rights Era. Her small town is complete with its own invented language, Boontling. Even though the theater supplied a list translating the words, the audience need not have searched, because the actors' expressions and tone explained the meaning. Boontling was made by the people of Boonville to tell jokes and secrets. This sometimes childish place blocks Bulrusher from racial tensions, as she is surrounded by those who rarely see color. Bulrusher is taught about the real world by a special friend, Vera (Tinashe Kajese). Her relationship with Vera is full of compassion, but also with reality. As the two look at a mirror together, they are engulfed by their similarities, but also by their differences. They are opposites; Bulrusher, an oblivious rural girl, Vera, a city woman who understands the hardships in life. Boy (Robert Beitzel), a white man, has a hopeless crush on Bulrusher, making their relationship humorous. When they meet by the river, their encounter reminds me of a teen drama show. They are two teens, talking about past relationships, but at the same time having feelings for each other. Boy also expresses his love with performances on his guitar. The short musical acts are not only entertaining, but also produce character development. In a later scene, Boy comes up with the worst pickup lines known to man-kind which are more like a disses than a compliments. My soft laughter mixed with the loud laughter of the audience. The characters must all cope with relationships and change. Logger (Guiesseppe Jones) constantly talks about how the scenery and the people have altered since his childhood. Madame (Charlotte Colavin) searches within herself to discover which man she should be with; a man who would seem perfect to the white world or the man Madame truly loves. Schoolch (Peter Bradbury) has to realize his real role in Bulrusher's life. Unfortunately not all these problems are able to evolve because there is too much drama all jam-packed into two hours. The river, surrounding the stage scattered with detailed props to fill it, becomes a centerpiece and an actor in Bulrusher. The lighting of the play, designed by Sarah Sidman, evokes the moods of the characters and their lines. Instead of building large props, background noise or body language of the actors are used to express whatever object there may be. This actually allows imagination to flow throughout the 50-seat theater. People from different backgrounds, views, and morals are able to relate to the performance, which makes Bulrusher exceptional. Like the characters, most of us make random comments with our friends that no one else would understand. They would be totally out of context, but our months would curl up and we would start giggling at our randomness. For example, while standing near the river, Vera says, "White people smell like mayonnaise." The audience is confused with her comment, but it's still funny. The play seems real because of these typical scenarios, such as the look of a guardian worrying or a secret that could change a life. The actors contribute to this with their overlapping dialogues and staying in character even though they're in a corner. Bulrusher is a performance to remember because there are plenty of topics an audience can discuss afterwards. The audience becomes engulfed in its simple staging, but complex metaphors. Bulrusher will be enjoyed by those who can understand its splendor.
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