Mini College Review: The Whipping Man by Samuel French

Title: The Whipping Man
Author: Samuel French
Format: Paperback, 84 pages
Pub. Date: November 3rd 2009
Source: SIU Bookstore


Book Description:

Drama / Characters: 3 male It is April, 1865. The Civil War is over and throughout the south, slaves are being freed, soldiers are returning home and in Jewish homes, the annual celebration of Passover is being celebrated. Into the chaos of war-torn Richmond comes Caleb DeLeon, a young Confederate officer who has been severely wounded. He finds his family's home in ruins and abandoned, save for two former slaves, Simon and John, who wait in the empty house for the family's return. As the three men wait for signs of life to return to the city, they wrestle with their shared past, the bitter irony of Jewish slave-owning and the reality of the new world in which they find themselves. The sun sets on the last night of Passover and Simon - having adopted the religion of his masters - prepares a humble Seder to observe the ancient celebration of the freeing of the Hebrew slaves from Egypt, noting with particular satisfaction the parallels to their current situation. But the pain of their enslavement will not be soothed by this tradition, and deep-buried secrets from the past refuse to be hidden forever as the play comes to its shocking climax. The Whipping Man is a play about redemption and forgiveness, about the lasting scars of slavery, and the responsibility that comes with freedom. "A mesmerizing drama." - Peter Filichia, Newark Star-Ledger "A cause for celebration. Mathew Lopez has come as close as any author could to producing a microcosm of the genesis of a wide range of today's Black American males." - Bob Rendell, Talkin' Broadway "I can see why director Lou Bellamy chose this play for Penumbra, whose most famous alumnus is playwright August Wilson. In its complex welter of issues, in its interior explorations...The Whipping Man is Wilsonian." - Rohan Preston, Minneapolis Star-Ledger "Succeeds with an uncanny maturity in using sharply drawn characters and rich metaphor to wrestle Wilson-like with epic American issues of race, religion, and responsibility. Someone must succeed Wilson; it might as well be Lopez" - Tim Gihring, Minnesota Monthly

Review:

★★★★★

I had to read "The Whipping Man" in my American literature course in college. It is the best piece of fiction that I got to read the whole semester.

This play is absolutely fantastic. I can honestly say that I've never read a story like this one.

The characters are a mix of Jewish home owners and slaves during the Civil War era. I can honestly say in all my years of education (and reading for fun) I've never read a story that weaves these two points of view together. But the incredible way that French has written this story, it seems like a common sense pairing. It works so well.

The characters are well developed. They're distinct, and they feel real. I had feelings toward them all. Not all of those feelings were positive, but I was emotionally invested in the way these characters developed and grew, the way their backgrounds are teased to the surface, the way each of them struggle and have faith in their own way.

It's rugged. It's gritty. It's real. It feels almost like you could be watching this unfold from through the window. There's a particularly gnarly leg amputation that is very well detailed, that sets the tone of dirt and blood and alcohol and grit that gives this play a distinct tone. That said, it's not all drama and heartbreak. It's rather comedic, which I did not anticipate even a little. I was pleasantly surprised, and it keeps you reading and connects you to particular characters.

It's a short play, but there's so much packed into these 90 pages.

I sincerely hope I get the chance to see this on stage. It's fantastic, and I can't recommend it enough.

Mini Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts 1 & 2 by John Tiffany & Jack Thorne

Title: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts 1 & 2
Series: Harry Potter #8
Authors: John Tiffany & Jack Thorne & JK Rowling
Format: Hardcover, Special Rehearsal Edition Script, 309 pages
Pub. Date: July 31st 2016
Source: Gift from my dad


Book Description:

The Eighth Story. Nineteen Years Later.

Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, a new play by Jack Thorne, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. The play will receive its world premiere in London’s West End on July 30, 2016.

It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

Review:

★★★★

This review is going to be short and sweet and spoiler free. People seem to either think this is the best thing ever or something to be set on fire, and quite frankly, I'm just not that passionate about it either way.

I enjoyed reading this addition to the series. I went in with low expectations because there's so many reviews- both fan and media- that ripped it apart. It put me off from reading it until after the hype died down, but eventually I gave into it.

Maybe it's because I went into it expecting a big change in tone or writing style, but it didn't bother me. I felt particularly victorious when a plot twist I called when the original series came out ends up happening in this story. I liked some of the new characters, and some of the original characters who are now all grown up.

I got a little tired up doing the time warp after awhile, and admittedly that did take me out of the story a bit.

Regardless, I'm glad I read it and I intend to see it on stage when it comes to the US.

Mini School Review: Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris

Title: Clybourne Park
Author: Bruce Norris
Format: Paperback, 210 pages
Pub. Date: Published 2011
Source: SIU Bookstore


Book Description:

CLYBOURNE PARK spans two generations fifty years apart. In 1959, Russ and Bev are selling their desirable two-bedroom at a bargain price, unknowingly bringing the first black family into the neighborhood (borrowing a plotline from Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun) and creating ripples of discontent among the cozy white residents of Clybourne Park. In 2009, the same property is being bought by a young white couple, whose plan to raze the house and start again is met with equal disapproval by the black residents of the soon-to-be-gentrified area. Are the issues festering beneath the floorboards actually the same, fifty years on? Bruce Norris's excruciatingly funny and squirm-inducing satire explores the fault line between race and property.

Review:

★★

I had to read this play in one of my American literature classes in college. It was my least favorite piece of literature of the semester.

The book is a sequel of sorts to Lorraine Hansberry's play "A Raisin in the Sun". For the record, that's not one of my favorite plays either. I know it's a classic, but I went into reading "Claybourne Park" without the expectations that other people who loved Raisin in the Sun did.

It's boring. I know that's the least helpful word to describe a book, but it's what it was. It was loud, full of people talking over each other but not really going anywhere. While this made it easy to read in class, it's really easy to struggle with set, the bigger plot, and even character descriptions because that's not really what the constant talking is about. The jokes (yes, there are some) aren't funny. The drama seems anticlimactic. The characters seem no different from characters I've seen before, which makes this book/play pretty forgettable. Like a show on TLC I don't want to watch: generic people yelling at each other

I understand the message and the point the play is trying to make, and I appreciate it. But when it comes to the actual piece, not for me. Maybe if you enjoyed "A Raisin in the Sun", or actually get to see this played out on stage, you'll have a better time with it than I did.

Review: Ham: Slices of a Life

Title: Ham: Slices of a Life: Essays and Stories
Author: Sam Harris
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: January 14th 2014
Source: Netgalley & Gallery Books

★★★

Three stars.

Ham: Slices of a Life: Essays and Stories is a collection of short stories and anecdotes from theater performer and Star Search winner Sam Harris. A gay man who grew up in the Christian south with a flair for performing for a crowd, these stories give an insight into his personal life, and life behind the curtain.

When I saw this title on Netgalley, I was immediately interested. Being LGBT and a fan of theater, I thought I'd connect to the story. Plus, the blurb compared the author to the likes of Chelsea Handler and David Sedaris, both of whom I'd read before and found hilarious. Unfortunately, this book was okay, but not the book for me.

First, it should be noted that these essays can and should be read independently. They're not in a sequential order, and it's easier to get into the book once you realize that.

I think there's a few things that add up here to show that I'm just not the right target audience for this book. For one, there's an age gap. While I'm old enough to know a good portion of people who were talked about or referenced, others were kind of lost on me. Another thing is that this book gave a look behind the scenes in the role of a performer. It's true that I'm a fan of theater, but as an observer and not a performer. I feel that performers are more likely to connect with Sam Harris's stories.

And though this book did make me think, grow sad, and sometimes smile, I just didn't find it all that funny. I got swindled by the blurb. This book was amusing, but didn't make me laugh out loud, as the comparative comedic writers mentioned did.

This isn't a badly written book, and it's an interesting look at show business and the lives of those involved in it. I'm sure that a lot of people will really enjoy it. But not every book is made for every person, and I'm an example of that this time. Plus, I think the cover is adorable, and it will grab people's attention on a bookshelf. Regardless, thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Books for my chance to read this.