“Angry, Raucous & Shamelessly Gorgeous" - A Review

Hartford - Hartford Stage has opened a production of “Angry, Raucous & Shamelessly Gorgeous” a play by acclaimed playwright Pearl Cleage, an Atlanta-based writer. The smart new comedy directed by Susan V. Booth runs through Feb. 6 at the Tony Award-winning theater in downtown Hartford.

This play was commissioned by and premiered at Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, where the director is the Artistic Director. There has been a long collaboration between the playwright and her director Susan V. Booth and Hartford Stage is thrilled to bring them and their gifted cast to the capitol city.

In “Angry, Raucous & Shamelessly Gorgeous,” pioneering and imperious actor Anna Campbell returns to the United States after being in a self-imposed exile in Europe for 25 years. Her groundbreaking Black feminist theatre piece -- a controversial collection of monologues from August Wilson’s “Fences” performed in the nude that came to be known as “Naked Wilson”-- is set to be revived as the centerpiece of performance art festival in Atlanta.

What promises to be both a triumphant homecoming and a much-needed career resuscitation turns sour when the diva discovers that Pete, an inexperienced younger woman and an adult entertainer, is set to recreate Anna's legendary performance.

The play is a bold and funny story by one of America's preeminent Black female playwrights that explores the themes of ambition, post-feminism, the generational divide, activism, and who has a right to tell our stories, all while keeping comedic elements firmly in the tale. The need for intergenerational connections is addressed in the play, and opening night audience laughed throughout this well-constructed piece.

The four Equity-members in the small cast are all making their Hartford Stage debut.

Cynthia D. Barker, who appeared in “Tyler Perry's House of Payne,” appears in the role of Kate Hughes, the young producer of the upcoming outdoor art festival who fears that the rain will never stop. Barker makes us feel for her character as she tries to run interference between the talent that she has assembled, and her reactions are priceless. Terry Burrell, who was part of “Into the Woods” and “Dreamgirls” on Broadway, portrays the diva Anna, who is less than receptive to the aging process. Burrell embodies the character without going overboard and looks magnificent in her well-turned wardrobe.

Shakirah DeMesier, a performer in Alliance Theatre's version of “Angry, Raucous…,” is a delight in the role of Precious “Pete” Watson. She had the audience from her first entrance and made the most of every line and movement on the stage. DeMesier’s performance deserved the two rounds of applause that temporarily stopped the action on opening night.

Marva Hicks, who appeared in Broadway's “Motown the Musical” and “The Lion King” is Anna’s companion and director Betty Samson. Hicks is the perfect foil for the diva that she sometimes fears. The beginning of her performance was a bit difficult to hear, but this improved as the play went on so that we didn’t miss a word. She is also the only actress who gets to sing and even perform a little celebratory dance.

Almost all of the production team members are also female. The scenic design by Collette Pollard brings the audience into a high-end hotel suite in Atlanta. It is beautifully decorated and meets the requirements of the action. Costumes designed by Kara Harmon are elegant and appropriate for a rainy spell in the South and Lindsey Ewing’s wig design is spot on. Michelle Habeck’s lighting design enhances the set, with Clay Benning in charge of the sound design.

The Hartford Stage community made everyone who came out on the frigid opening night feel most welcome.

Tickets for "Angry, Raucous & Shamelessly Gorgeous" are $30-$100 with discounts for youth age 18 and under. Tickets can be purchased by visiting HartfordStage.org, by calling (860) 527-5151, or by visiting the Hartford Stage Box Office at 50 Church Street, Hartford, CT from noon to 5pm.

The play is presented with no intermission. To keep actors, audiences, and staff safe, Hartford Stage requires masks to be worn throughout the performance, plus proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result upon entry. Beverages must be consumed in the lobby and are not allowed into the theater.

Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local theatre venues. She posts reviews of well over 100 productions each year. In 2016, she became a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle. She continues to contribute theatre news, previews, and audition notices to local Patch sites. Reviews of all levels of theatrical productions are posted on Naugatuck Patch and the Patch sites closest to the venue. She recently became a contributor to the Waterbury Republican-American newspaper. Her weekly column and theatre reviews appear in the Thursday Weekend section of the paper.

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