THE CHILDREN OF GOD

 THE CHILDREN OF GOD

Written by Lorey Hayes, Directed by Fulton Hodges, and presented by the Carribean American Repetory Theatre, Inc., in Colloboration with  New Heritage Theatre Group at Harlem's Dwyer's Cultural Center on  258 Saint Nicholas Avenue in New York, was absulutely a work of "art"! No doubt the best the Dwyer Cultural Center has ever presented in its two year history!

This production has definitely surplanted  the Dwyer Cultural Center as Harlem's beacon of Cultural-Pan African globalization of "cultural Consciousness" in New York and , dare I say, nationwide!

The Children of God is basically a "love story," but the difference between this particular "love story" and those of, let's say, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, or even the Greek mythological epic "love story" that tops all love stories-that of Persephone and Hades (but not too far from it), is that this "love story" is a love story of nature, country, countrymen, and (on a higher level) the world and even the Universe-yes! This play "takes you there"!

The plot centers on a couple; an aristorcrat "raised" young woman, Isabelle (played by actress Marie Easie) and a poor peasant rebel fighting a Government Dictator; Duvalieur, and his murderous Toto ba'koup (personified by actor Lee Sebastiany). The young couple fall in love-and although both represent opposite social classes, they unite to fight the forces of famed dictator, Duvalieur and the Toto ba'koup (Haiti's "secret police" of thugs which terrorize the Haitian Countryside), and restore power to the rightful, but exile president, John Claude Aristide (during  the late 80's to early 90's). This is indeed a "loafty goal" for the young couple, to say the least. However, what made this play so credible, to me, is that people, in the most distressing situations, would still, against all odds, think positively, and antithetically! This was my own personal connection to this play (as a Dominican-Haitian Descent). To those who do not know or understand the Haitian political struggle, this play can "lose you" in its complexity-and trust me, the Haitian story and struggle is quite complex culturally, socially, historically, and anthropologically. I commend Fulton Hodges for "treadding carefully" with this property. It was very well "handled" and responsibly presented and directed.

When a people are as oppressed and as "slaughtered" like the Haitian people have been throughout its 400 year history, what can one "aspire to"? This is probably what the playwright (Lorey Hayes) and the director (Fulton Hodges) are trying (successfully) to teach us; to "observe" the depths of our inner natures and motivations-both as individuals and as a society. What are we willing to do to survive, what would we be prepared to do-to survive! To eat, to have a roof over our heads: these were the "mundane" issues facing an empoverishedly torn nation.

One theme that seems to permeate throughout the play is the essence of  "hope and faith" amist dire sociological conditions. Fortunately, not all is lost. Isabelle (also called 'ma') is expecting a baby, among the poverty, the wars, the murders, and the gross "inhumanities" there is "hope." Like the baby moses in the Ten Commandments, being put in a basket-to hopefully be found-and hence,40 years later a nation is liberated from bondage. There are similar parallels here. The baby Isabelle carries in her womb

becomes a national symbol-this is enough to further the fight towards freedom. Freedom which has eluded the Haitian people for centuries.

This was a very "romanticized" epic which hit all the right notes in every way. Well acted, well directed, well written, definitely an Audelco contender!

Every intricate detail of mundane, daily life-including the refrences to "vudum" and the "mysteries of LOA" was delicately incorporated with much "respect" and with as minimal detail as possible 

The technical aspect of this production was also very critical in helping "create" the illusion of constant gunfire, bombings, and social trumoil on the streets. The screen image of the water as it turns into various colors-each representing powerful images of life (green), spirituality (blue), and death (red), added powerful, dramatic theatricality. All of the five senses were impressed upon through each successive elemental; lighting (fire), thunder (air), rain (water), music, costumes and set design (earth). This was a truly intelligently produced piece of Art!

Honorable mention goes to Shirley Parkinson Wright for an excellent performance as Sole, opposite and supporting role to Isabelle played by Marie Eusie. Again, here we see a dynamic that is as intrinsically common as drinking water or even breathing, and that is the evil sin of "jealousy." We see in this character the "composite poisoning" that jealousy and envy can bring unto a person, a family, a nation or a race. This is the true culprit behind the dark and "shadow side" of Vudum, when expressed in its "lesser light".

Congratulations to Mrs. Wright for a job well done and all of the cast of this moving production.

The Children of God receives FIVE STARS!!!