{"id":20037,"date":"2015-07-26T08:23:19","date_gmt":"2015-07-26T15:23:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/?p=20037"},"modified":"2021-10-05T10:23:40","modified_gmt":"2021-10-05T17:23:40","slug":"dance-of-the-holy-ghosts-a-play-on-memory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/dance-of-the-holy-ghosts-a-play-on-memory\/","title":{"rendered":"Dance of the Holy Ghosts \u2013 a Play on Memory: a review by Victor Cordell"},"content":{"rendered":"

Oakland-reared playwright\u00a0Marcus Gardley has impressed\u00a0the Bay Area theater community\u00a0with his well-received \u201cAnd\u00a0Jesus Moonwalks the\u00a0Mississippi\u201d and \u201cHead of\u00a0Passes\u201d. \u00a0Currently, Oakland\u2019s\u00a0Ubuntu Theater Project offers his\u00a0first produced play \u201cDance of\u00a0the Holy Ghosts \u2013 a Play on\u00a0Memory\u201d. \u00a0Appropriately, the\u00a0play is being performed at\u00a0Oakland City Church.<\/p>\n

Vic’s [rating: 4]<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Keith Wallace, Candace Thomas<\/p><\/div>\n

The central character is Oscar\u00a0Clifton, a live-alone, self-indulgent, 72 year old. \u00a0While\u00a0laid-back, Oscar is a man of\u00a0passions \u2013 a guitarist by trade, a\u00a0skirt chaser by nature, and a\u00a0chess player by pastime. \u00a0His\u00a0life\u2019s moments are recorded in a\u00a0book of memories, which acts as\u00a0a reference source for a time-layered reflection of significant\u00a0periods of his adult family life.\u00a0\u00a0Oscar is deftly played by Keith\u00a0Wallace, who exudes the charm,\u00a0irritability, and irresponsibility of\u00a0the character.<\/p>\n

Oscar\u2019s current nemesis is his\u00a0grandson, Marcus G., and it is\u00a0hard to ignore the playwright\u2019s\u00a0choice of name for this\u00a0character. William Thomas\u00a0Hodgson plays Marcus through\u00a0various ages and, like Wallace,\u00a0without the benefit of makeup\u00a0changes. \u00a0He, too, is very\u00a0convincing in his portrayal,\u00a0moving back and forth from the\u00a0fourth grade through adulthood.\u00a0\u00a0His spotty relationship with his\u00a0grandfather swings from\u00a0domineered to demanding, and\u00a0Hodgson commands the\u00a0emotional tenor of each age\u00a0well.<\/p>\n

The key events in Oscar\u2019s life\u00a0center around relationship\u00a0conflicts with his long estranged\u00a0wife Viola and daughter Darlene,\u00a0adeptly played by Candace\u00a0Thomas and Megan Wells,\u00a0respectively. \u00a0Oscar is a\u00a0recurring disappointment to the\u00a0women in his life who want to\u00a0rely on him and love him.<\/p>\n

Rounding out a fine cast of\u00a0principal actors is Halili Knox,\u00a0listed in the program as \u201cWoman\u00a0of Wisdom\u201d. \u00a0As an apparition\u00a0reading stage directions and\u00a0narrative transitions, she\u00a0provides an authoritative\u00a0presence. \u00a0The proceedings are\u00a0punctuated with rhythmic\u00a0original music and dance of both\u00a0black American and Swahili\u00a0origin, delivered by an always\u00a0present lively choir that rings or\u00a0fronts the stage.<\/p>\n

Ubuntu is using site-specific\u00a0locations for their current\u00a0season, and the ambiance\u00a0created by the church setting is\u00a0suited to this work. \u00a0The scope\u00a0for staging and lighting is\u00a0somewhat restricted, but the\u00a0bare bones setting is\u00a0appropriate, and the choir,\u00a0informally draped around the\u00a0stage largely substitutes as a set.<\/p>\n

Two versions of this play have\u00a0been produced, the original\u00a0(with a three hour running time)\u00a0and a 40-minute shorter\u00a0revision. \u00a0In consultation with\u00a0the playwright, Ubuntu is\u00a0performing the original.\u00a0\u00a0Although most all vignettes are\u00a0engaging, not all are essential to\u00a0the dramatic arc. \u00a0In particular, a\u00a0long episode concerning\u00a0Marcus G. interacting with his\u00a0fourth grade classmates is\u00a0superfluous. \u00a0One can\u00a0hypothesize that Gardley is loath\u00a0to relinquish something that he\u00a0had invested effort in or that\u00a0retaining this episode is a way to\u00a0give a meatier role to attract an\u00a0equity actor. \u00a0And it is true that\u00a0Hodgson stretches his acting\u00a0chops with this scene, but it is a\u00a0drag on the play\u2019s momentum.\u00a0\u00a0Although the singing and\u00a0dancing add considerable color,\u00a0they provide sense rather than\u00a0meaning and could also be\u00a0reduced by a third without loss.<\/p>\n

All things considered, this is the\u00a0kind of work that deserves an\u00a0audience, and hopefully it will\u00a0attract regular theater lovers as\u00a0well as underserved\u00a0communities. \u00a0Kudos to director\u00a0Michael Socrates Moran for\u00a0demonstrating that rewarding\u00a0theater can come from very\u00a0limited resources.<\/p>\n

\u201cDance of the Holy Ghosts \u2013 a\u00a0Play on Memory\u201d<\/p>\n

Through August 2<\/p>\n

Oakland City Church
\n2735 MacArthur Blvd
\nOakland, CA \u00a094602<\/p>\n

www.ubuntutheaterproject.com<\/p>\n

Victor Cordell
\nJuly 25, 2015<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Oakland-reared playwright\u00a0Marcus Gardley has impressed\u00a0the Bay Area theater community\u00a0with his well-received \u201cAnd\u00a0Jesus Moonwalks the\u00a0Mississippi\u201d and \u201cHead of\u00a0Passes\u201d. \u00a0Currently, Oakland\u2019s\u00a0Ubuntu Theater Project offers his\u00a0first produced play \u201cDance of\u00a0the Holy Ghosts \u2013…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":104,"featured_media":20030,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"yasr_overall_rating":0,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[664],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-20037","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-victor-cordell"},"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":true,"span_bottom":"