Clay: A Story of Salvation

Upon hearing the words, “hip-hop musical”, I instantly thought it was an alternative term for a rap concert. It never occurred to me that it could be a superb one-man performance that is driven by a well-constructed story. Clay was just that, a one-man hip-hop musical that chronicles the life of a young man who goes from awkward teen named Clifford to a rapper extraordinaire named Clay. The way this performance was done, the lyrics of the many musical numbers told the story and gave the audience insight into the emotional state of the various characters that were portrayed. It was a very unique way of telling a story but the results were very good.

            The story revolves around a young man named Clifford whose life takes a series of twists and turns after the divorce of his parents. He has to deal with the suicide of his mother, the ignorance of his faher and the complications brought on by his strange relationship with his stepmother. As Clifford becomes more and more confused, the key to his sanity comes in the form of a reclusive rapper from Brooklyn named Sir John. Sir John becomes a father figure to Clifford and turns him into his protégé. This relationship is the central theme to the whole story. In essence it becomes a story of salvation because not only does Sir John save Clifford from his former life, Clifford saves him from obscurity.

Due to the fact that this was a one-man performance the key to its success was the skill of Matt Sax, the only man on stage throughout the night. Mr. Sax had to play the parts of everyone in the script. His acting had to transcend race, gender, and age and play several roles with equal accuracy and attention to detail. Matt Sax did everything he could to portray the various figures accurately, he would change his voice, his facial expressions and even his height to let the audience know who he was supposed to be at the moment. This was difficult enough but when you throw in the fact that all the while Mr. Sax was rapping a multitude of songs, this performance becomes a herculean effort. The songs are delivered with power and emotion laid bare for all to see. They let the viewer know what Clifford and the other characters are feeling. It astonishes anyone watching that Mr. Sax can put all of these elements together by himself, to make one very high quality performance. Also worth mentioning is the set design. There is not enough room for very elaborate props and designs but the set-up makes use of what space there is to show a believable background. For example, the bookstore where Clifford and Sir John meet is very well constructed.

Clay is an inspirational and moving tale of salvation and discovery. The content is meant for a mature audience with distinctly adult themes and language but it is presented in such a way astonot repulse the audience but rather to draw them in. I left with a feeling of hope in the fact that things eventually work out, as they should. I also left with an admiration for Matt Sax. I am still in awe of how much information he had to memorize, hundreds of lines of dialogue and music that had to all weave a coherent story. He gives the term “one-man show” new meaning. With a powerful story, impressive songs, and moments of genuine humor Clay is must see for any adult who wants a change of pace and who want to see a craftsman at work.