August Wilson wrote GEM OF THE OCEAN a year or two before he died. It is part of his cycle of plays about the lives of African-Americans throughout the 20th century and actually is the first in the cycle despite being written near the end of Wilson's life. It is set 1904 in Pittsburgh and concerns a woman who is a healer and the man who comes to her for healing. The Cyngnet Theater in Old Town (the oldest section of San Diego) put on a very fine production and any faults lay in the somewhat didactic text. My favorites are PIANO LESSON and FENCES. But it is nice to see another piece of the 12-play cycle.
3 comments:
Patti - It's interesting that this play is part of a cycle, rather than what in books we'd call a standalone. I should look these plays up.
I'm with you on FENCES and THE PIANO LESSON. I haven't seen GEM OF THE OCEAN, but I will when it comes to down.
It was less concrete, more surreal than later ones. Still well worth seeing.
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