'The Piano Lesson' revival perfectly tuned

‘THE PIANO LESSON’: Samuel L. Jackson. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

THE PIANO LESSON
Written by August Wilson
Through January 29, 2023
Directed by LaTanya Richardson Jackson
Ethel Barrymore Theatre
243 West 47th Street
(212-239-6200), wwwPianoLessonPlay.com

By David NouNou

Of the 10 plays that August Wilson wrote that make up “The American Century Cycle”, The Piano Lesson is the fourth installment. Each cycle, as his bio states, “explores the experiences of the descendants of Africans brought to North America as slaves, decade by decade, over the course of the 20^th century.” Each cycle takes place in a certain decade. The Piano Lesson is set in 1936 Pittsburgh. In this amazing revival, the stellar performances lift the material up and make it shine.

I’ve always considered The Piano Lesson the most complex and intricate of Mr. Wilson’s works. It deals with two principles: Is the item you possess worth more if you sell it and use the proceeds to put it to good use; or is the item you possess worth more for the history and the legacy of the spilled blood of its ancestors that it leaves behind? In the mix is thrown religious complexities and an exorcism.

Boy Willie (John David Washington) and Lymon (Ray Fisher) have come up from Mississippi in a broken-down stolen truck loaded with watermelons to sell in Pittsburgh. He has come up to visit his sister Berniece (Danielle Brooks) and their uncle, Doaker Charles (Samuel L. Jackson). Doaker and Berniece live together with Berniece’s daughter, Maretha (Jurnee Swan). Willie Boy hasn’t seen his sister in three years because he was in prison and has come up North for a specific reason. Now the conflict begins.

Willie Boy wants to sell the watermelons and the family piano that sits in Doaker’s living room, so he can buy his former boss Sutter’s property. This property is where he, his father and grandfather and other relatives had been slaves. Now that Sutter is dead, he wants to buy the property and own the land that enslaved his ancestors.

Berniece will have none of this and refuses to sell the piano and wants Willie Boy to get out of her house, contending that he has done enough harm to the family with his reckless, destructive behavior. Doaker tells Lymon the story behind the piano and the multiple carvings on it that has the faces and history of Berniece’s ancestors etched on it that belonged to Sutter’s grandfather, and how Boy Willie’s father and others stole the piano, and Boy Willie’s father was killed for it.

Berniece is being pursued by Reverend Avery (Trai Byers), who wants to marry her and make her lead singer in his choir. Wining Boy, Doaker’s brother (Michael Potts), comes on the scene and also tries to dissuade Willie Boy from trying to move and sell the piano. Berniece needs Avery to come the next day to bless the house and expel Sutter’s ghost which she has seen. She needs to exorcise all the demons that are in the house.

As I stated earlier, this is the most complex of Mr. Wilson’s plays and the story does get convoluted. Bringing this epic family history to life is LaTanya Richardson Jackson’s impeccable direction and the blistering performances she brings out from her brilliant cast.

For any theatergoer, the most memorable aspect of any show is witnessing outstanding performances. Starting with John David Washington, I’ve been a fan of his since seeing him in Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman; his Broadway debut is phenomenal. His presence on stage is as magnificent as when I first saw his father, Denzel Washington, in the 2010 revival of August Wilson’s Fences.

Danielle Brooks’ Berniece is both shattering and beautiful. Playing sister, mother and a widow who could use some loving, she delivers a heartbreaking performance. Samuel L. Jackson when given a substantive role and delivers another powerhouse performance. This man just ages beautifully as vintage wine.

Included with the three top stars are three thrilling supporting actors, all of whom I’m sure may earn a nomination come Tony Award time. Ray Fisher, as the hapless Lymon, is outstanding as Willie Boy’s friend and ardent pursuer of women. His scene with Ms. Brooks is a joy to behold. Michael Potts as Wining Boy, Doaker’s brother, imbues so much heart and soul into the part that he is irresistible. Third but not least is Trai Byers as Reverend Avery. Mr. Byers is converting and healing souls nightly in each performance.

For an evening of outstanding, perfectly directed and fine-tuned performances, The Piano Lesson is a must-see.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published November 7, 2022
Reviewed at November 6, 2022 performance.