Nov 25 2009
FELA!!!
Ben Brantley’s review, “Afrobeat King, Recrowned,” on “Fela” describes many things that I felt about the performance but was unable to put into words. I cannot agree more that by teaching the audience members the clock dance, “Fela” leaves a long impression on them long after the show is over, as in Mr. Brantley’s words, “has the effect of tattooing the show’s propulsive rhythms onto them.
Brantley also addresses the amazing set of “Fela”, created by Marina Draghici. To transform the Eugene O’Neill Theater (with its chandeliers and floral wall painting) into the Afrika Shrine, Fela’s nightclub in Lagos, sounds like an impossible task. However, not only does Draghici accomplish that, she also devises the amazing portrait of Fela’s mother, which comes alive at critical points of the performance, driving the action of the whole performance forward by pointing Fela in the right direction.
However, Brantley did not mention the element of humor in “Fela.” Fela’s biting sarcasm should not be ignored because it not only provides reliefs between periods of tension, but it allows Fela to emphasis the degree of corruption in the government of Nigeria.
“Fela” offers “music that gets into your bloodstream, setting off vibrations you’ll live with for days to come.” These words of Ben Brantley cannot be more right.
The art from FELA! was really impressive. The graffiti and painting on the walls were the first things that I noticed when I walked in, and it make me so excited for whats to come. I really like the projection art too, it would match the mood of the song and even provide lyrics just in case the accents were hard to understand.
I am glad you brought up topics like the set and the portraits, because while reading Brantley’s interview, and even when I was actually watching the event, I was focusing more on the dances, the songs, and what he said, than on the actual set.
A lot what Brantley mentioned in his review, allowed me to pick up on some aspects of the production that I missed.
Ben Brantley definitely sat in the same performance that we did. He describes Fela! in a way that most of us can agree-a show full of vibrancy, upbeat music, and intensity. The humor was an important element and Brantley should have touched upon it, but overall, I agree with Brantley.