Have you heard of August Wilson being performed by a woman in the nude? Pearl Cleage’s Angry, Raucous, and Shamelessly Gorgeous, directed by Susan V. Booth, explores the conflict between young and old, as well as controversial theatre pieces and what they mean to different people.
In Angry, Raucous & Shamelessly Gorgeous, Anna Campbell returns to the U.S. after 25 years to reprise her role in Naked Wilson, a protest piece where the actress recites Wilson’s words in the nude. But what Anna does not know is that her friend Betty brought her back to receive an award, not reprise her role. The producer Kate has found “Pete,” notably younger, to take on the role. As they argue and discuss why “Pete” should do the performance and why she should not, we see each character’s true and honest intentions and how their opinions about each other evolve.
The show was written by Pearl Cleage, and the dialogue had me invested from beginning to end. Each character was funny in their own right, whether it be sarcasm or the size of their personality. The story was paced well after the first part of the show, which I thought dragged a little. The director, Susan V. Booth was innovative, using every part of the gorgeously designed set. I enjoyed how the breaks in the scenes were not empty but filled with action that felt natural to the circumstances.
Terry Burrell plays Anna Campbell, the brash and bold actress, whose character was very reminiscent of an old Broadway diva. Burrell’s delivery of the character had a lot of sass while still maintaining her class. Marva Hicks played Betty, Anna’s old friend who is supportive but tries to be realistic about Anna’s dreams and future. Hicks had a subtleness to her that made her sarcastic comments really punch because I did not expect it from her. While these two on stage had witty banter, I found the energy between them dragged when only they were on stage. Next enters Cynthia D. Barker as Kate, the enthusiastic producer of the play festival. Barker’s energy brought life back into the story with the character’s quick wit and sarcastic remarks. Her physical humor was so authentic and never felt forced. Shakirah DeMesier stole the show as Precious “Pete” Watson. DeMesier took command as soon as she came on stage and made the audience take notice of her incredible comedic timing. While she was hilarious, she also showed the character’s softer side, where she longed to be accepted by Anna.
The stationary set design by Collette Pollard was breathtaking. Pollard’s design of a fancy hotel room was spot on and beautiful to look at. The costume design by Kara Harmon was extremely detailed, emphasizing each person’s age as well as a profession through accurate costuming. The lighting design by Michelle Habeck was simple, yet effective. The sound design by Clay Benning was also effective, always reminding the audience that it was raining.
This entertaining production runs through February 6th at Hartford Stage.
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