Richardson Jackson clearly wants us to see the exorcism as a joint effort, but the end result is something else: Brooks is once again upstaged. Merkerson’s piano-playing cast out the ghost, not Dutton’s hand-to-hand combat with the dead slave owner. By nearly matching the size and intensity of Washington’s performance, Potts shows that his character’s inebriated present is more likely to be Boy Willie’s future than anything represented by the level-headed Doaker. More visceral is the slow onstage collapse delivered by Michael Potts in the role of the dissolute uncle, Wining Boy. Our memories of those past, very different performances go a long way toward making this Doaker a most effective referee, even though he consistently agrees with his niece. Jackson (husband of LaTanya) put aside his alpha-male persona, honed not only in the movies but in that original 1987 production of “The Piano Lesson,” in which he played Boy Willie.
It’s something of a shock here to see Samuel L. It makes for great theater to watch two such talented actors bounce off each other and create such sparks.īetween Boy Willie and Berniece, their uncle Doaker plays peacemaker.
(We know which man wins this race, at least when it comes to women.) After Washington dazzles with his rapid-fire staccato of a sales pitch to sell that old piano, Fisher slams on the brakes with retort after retort that comes smothered in molasses, if not tar. Under Richardson Jackson’s direction, they also deliver a comedy act, with Washington playing the wily hare to Fisher’s dimwitted turtle. When the two men aren’t selling watermelons, they plot to take that piano out of Berniece’s living room. More often, Washington leaves the comedy to his partner in crime and business, Lymon (“Justice League” star Ray Fisher). Washington brings many more shades of purpose and defiance to Boy Willie, and he never begs for approval - that is, he doesn’t go for the easy laughs the way Dutton did. In the 1990 Broadway production, Charles S. At least, that’s the way Washington (son of Denzel) plays him in a spectacular Broadway debut. What he did instead was create a character in Boy Willie who is larger than Troy. Gabrielle Brooks in “The Piano Lesson” (Photo: Julieta Cervantes)
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