Review: 'A Lesson From Aloes' at Hartford Stage

Pictured above: (from left) Andrus Nichols, Randall Newsome Photo by T. Charles Erickson

Dedicated to PAUL WEIDNER 1934-2018, the second Artistic Director of Hartford Stage and JANET M. LARSEN 1939-2018, who served as the first female President of the board

Hartford, CT - ‘A Lesson From Aloes’ is Athol Fugard’s compelling portrait of three people in Port Elizabeth, South Africa in 1963 who are caught in the midst of a nation’s racial divide. The work examines the harsh choices that each one is forced to make in this fine final production of the 2017/2018 season at Hartford Stage. This heavy but important play was directed by the gifted Darko Tresnjak and produced by Sue Ann Collins.

As described in the article in the program titled ‘Boycotting Apartheid’ by William Steinberger, in the early 60s in Port Elizabeth, Apartheid still had a firm grip on South Africa. The 50s had brought large-scale protests against the legal system that governed the land since WWII. The practice was ”grounded in an intractable definition of race, spatial segregation and exclusively white political participation.” The year in which the play is set was the apex of the government crackdown on protesters. Many of the anti-Apartheid marchers were slapped with banning orders, meaning that a person’s rights to travel, speech and assembly were nulled. South Africans lived under Apartheid until 1994.

The play shows a compelling portrait of a society caught in the grip of a police state and the effect it has on the individuals involved. In a white district of the town, a liberal Afrikaner named Piet is actively involved in anti-apartheid activity. His wife Gladys, who is of colonial British descent, is recovering from a nervous breakdown brought about by a police raid on their home. The couple are awaiting the arrival of dinner guests, a Black family; only in the second act does the head of the family, Steven, arrive. He has just been released from prison and plans to flee South Africa immediately after confronting Piet with the charge that he was the one who betrayed him.

The story was a gripping one, made even more serious by the historical setting. The metaphor of the resilience of the ever-present aloe plants, as scary as they were to Gladys, was not lost on those paying rapt attention. The older matinee audience fell completely silent at important points and I heard raves as we left the theater.

The prestigious cast includes Ariyon Bakare as Steve, Randall Newsome as Piet, and Andrus Nichols in the role of Gladys, all three making their Hartford Stage debut, Mr. Bakare, who received his training at Drama Center in London, made the most of his time on the stage in the second act. His recounting of the interrogation following his character’s arrest was achingly effective.

Mr. Newsome played the patient husband of Gladys with a sense of purpose; whether quoting Shakespeare or reassuring his mentally fragile wife, his was a strong performance. Ms. Nichols, who was a cofounder of Off-Broadway company Bedlam, was outstanding in the role of Gladys; watching her slowly descend back into madness was sometimes difficult to watch but always most convincing. Click to listen to the podcast of an interview with Ms. Nichols by Johnny O.

The costume shop manager, Blair Gulledge, made her Hartford Stage debut as a costume designer; the outfits fit well both the time period and the location. Also making his Hartford Stage debut was the scenic designer, Tim Mackabee, who designed the most recent revival of The Elephant Man on Broadway. Assistant director was Skye Robinson Hillis, who also served as assistant dramaturg with William Steinberger. Assistant set designer was Kyu Shin, assistant lighting designer was Michael Blagys, assistant sound designer was Brianne R. Bolante. Hair consultant was Marissa Kulp.

The set designed by Mr. Mackabee easily met the high quality standards of the many sets I have experienced at Hartford stage. The details of the rough edges of the floorboards that jutted into the rounded aisle, the slats in the tropical background and the various planters for the aforementioned aloe plants contributed to the realness of the scene; the lighting designed by Matthew Richards did nothing to detract from it and highlighted the aloe plants perfectly.

Ben Furey contributed to the authenticity as the dialect coach. Overall, I found the accents to be authentic, but I must admit that I missed more than a few lines from the two men, whether from sound issues when they were not facing my way or as a result of the accents was hard to discern.

‘A Lesson From Aloes’ is presented with one intermission and is recommended for ages 16 and up. The 2018/2019 season at Hartford Stage has been announced. I was thrilled to see that it includes a work of Shakespeare and a musical.

Nancy Sasso Janis Photo by J. Timothy Quirk

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. Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and on Twitter @nancysjanis417