'Hymn'

Two middle-aged Black men from different backgrounds meet as strangers, but before long, they’re singing the same tune. Gregg T. Daniel directs the West Coast premiere of Hymn, a soul-affirming new play by Olivier Award-winning playwright Lolita Chakrabarti (Life of Pi, Hamnet).A co-production between Odyssey Theatre Ensemble and Lower Depth Theatre, Hymn runs May 8 through June 14. Three low-priced previews precede the opening on May 5, May 6, and May 7.

At a moment when public conversation about men’s emotional lives, and the particular pressures facing Black men, has never been more charged, Hymn offers something rare: a portrait of male friendship that is tender, funny and utterly without apology. Set against a background of R&B rhythms, boxing and rounds of scotch, Hymn stars Jason Delane and Chuma Gault as “Benny” and “Gill.” The two men meet at a funeral; Gill knew the deceased, Benny did not. Soon they, and their families, have become close.

“I wanted to explore the often unseen nuance of a relationship between straight men—the insecurity, fussiness, vanity, fun and affection that I’ve seen between my male friends,” Chakrabarti explained in an interview. “I learned about sympathetic resonance, which is when a tuning fork vibrates because it feels the vibration of another tuning fork without ever touching it. I thought wow, what a beautiful idea. You have these two characters who can tune into each other and sing each other’s tune. Music and men.”

“Lolita’s delicious two-hander explores how two men can comfortably express affection and love for one another that’s not romantic or physical,” says Daniel. “Over the course of a year, they begin to open up, to risk their vulnerability. One of the things they find in common is a shared love of music, and the action plays out to the soundtrack of their youth.”

Hymn premiered in London at the Almeida Theatre, where the UK Guardian called it “a rich and moving ode to male friendship” and “hugely enjoyable.”

Performances of Hymn take place on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. from May 2 through June 14, with one additional performance on Wednesday, May 27 at 8 p.m. Prior to opening, there will be three previews on Wednesday, April 29; Thursday, April 30; and Friday, May 1, each at 8 p.m. Tickets to all performances are $35, except for the previews which are $20. A $3 fee will be added to each ticket purchased with a credit card. Discounts are available for students and seniors.

The Odyssey Theatre is located at 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025. For more information and to purchase tickets, call (310) 477-2055 or go to OdysseyTheatre.com.