Santa Barbara News Press
Wednesday, April 24, 2002

Guillaume leads powerful Speaking of Stories
by Michael Smith

(Reprinted with permission from the Santa Barbara News-Press)

An exhibition at the Karpeles Manuscript Library of artifacts from the Henrietta Marie, a British slave ship sunk off the Florida keys by a hurricane in 1700, has revived local awareness of the vexed subject of slavery and inspired at least two theatrical spinoffs. Speaking of Stories offered an affecting tribute to the Henrietta Marie exhibit Monday at the Lobero Theatre. A play on the subject, "Ayo’s Journey," will open May 3 at Center Stage Theater.

The usual Speaking of Stories format presents individual actors reading and to some extent acting out short stories by notable writers. On this occasion, five actors centered on the eminent Robert Guillaume took the stage at once to interweave a collage of excerpts from a wide range of sources assembled by artistic director Karin delaPena.
         
First-person recollections of conditions on the slave ships and the plantations and detailed accounts of slave auctions brought alive the horror of an institution that equated human beings with capital. Reminiscences of traditional life in Guinea poignantly evoked the lost grace of African culture. Historic documents, a poem and a bit of a play added other perspectives. The readings were interspersed with well-chosen recorded music and a capella singing by the talented Mahli Magee.
        
Surprisingly, the inherent power of the material was not dissipated by the fragmentation of Ms.delaPena’s approach. Going on longer about the appalling misery of the enslaved Africans would have become unbearably guilt-inducing for the mostly white audience. Changing the subject often and varying the tone kept reawakening our attention before we could take refuge in numbness. But the brief two-part evening accumulated considerable impact. What indeed are we to make of the monstrous cruelty human beings inflict on each other? What can we do to end it?
        
Mr. Guillaume’s deep voice and accomplished presence accounted for some of the best moments, especially when good writing came his way. Langston Hughes’ poem, ‘The Negro Speaks of Rivers," was magnificently eloquent A wry, pointed excerpt from August Wilson’s play, "Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom," was the longest selection of the evening and gave the three black actors a chance to interact, it was delightful. Mr. Guillaume as Toledo had the most to say and made every word count Rashad El Amin, who put on a distracting accent when he was reading alone, came alive in the Wilson scene. Indigo was terrific throughout the evening, bringing a wonderful ear for dialect and powerful feeling to her readings.
        

Dan Gunther and Sheelagh Cullen were excellent as the white voices. The whole evening was crisply staged by Ms. delaPena.

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