Word: robeson
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...hard to see how Paul Robeson could be more faithful, more meaningful, more true to Robeson's spirit, without dragging on to the kind of lengths that would be needed to truly plumb the depths of his complex, conflicted personality, or else haranguing the audience with political invective. Neither of which would sell tickets. So, predictably, Paul Robeson simply cashes in on conventions now well established in a recent rash of one-man shows--a recognizable actor in the starring role, plenty of humorous or touching memories, an emphasis on personality rather than on social forces and constraints--in short...
...there is to say about Paul Robeson can thus be summed up in a few lines. The play follows Robeson's life chronologically and, in terms of events, faithfully. James Earl Jones, as Robeson, is irresistably charming, though perhaps too irresistably charming, he makes such clever fun of the bigotry and ignorance that surrounded Robeson as he ventured into the world in the first half of the play that it is difficult to fully believe in the rage he vents in the second half. Jones imitates Robeson's resounding baritone well, if not remarkably, and also powerfully enacts a scene...
...there remains a feeling that the play does not truly do justice to the enormous scope of Robeson's life and his vision. On stage, Robeson the man essentially becomes James Earl Jones the actor: a prepossessing, engaging man, graciously humble about having led a life more inspiring than those of his audience. The playwrite, Philip Hayes Dean, defends this predictable, heart-warming treatment by pointing out that "if you take anybody's life and put it on stage, you have to make him charming; you're asking people to sit with him for two hours." And Paul Robeson never...
Importance of Being Earnest--Charles St. at 8 Footholds--Newbury St. Theatre at 8 Jean Cocteau--French Library at 8:30 Paul Robeson--Colonial Theatre at 8 Sleuth--Theatre by the Sea at 8:30 Twelfth Night--Boston Shakespeare at 8 The Reason We Eat--Boston Rep at 8:08 Outside the Door--Reality Theatre at 8 The Outcast--Boston Rep at 8 Forbidden Fruits--Loeb Ex at 7:30 The Indian Wants the Bronx--Charles...
Importance of Being Earnest--8:00 Footholds--8:00 Jean Cocteau--8:30 Paul Robeson--8:00 Chile, Chile--Caravan Theatre at 7 and 9:30 Sleuth--8:30 Taming of the Shrew--Boston Shakespeare at 8 The Reason We Eat--8:08 Outside the Door--8:00 The Outcast--8:00 Forbidden Fruits--7:30 The Indian Wants The Bronx...