Escape

I had always looked down upon Hip Hop culture, partially because the gibberish language was too much of a distraction. I carried that thought with me when I arrived at the Duke on 42nd street, with a free ticket in my hand. It wasn’t until Clay, Hip Hop musical, started that I began to understand why Professor Bernstein chose this piece. It was different. Watching theatrical plays for the whole semester, I have always wanted to explore other form of art. Clay not only altered my view of Hip Hop culture but also exposed the audiences to Clifford’s World of broken promises and internal struggles.

Clay, a one-man musical, based on the story of Clifford (Matt Sax) and how, through Hip Hop, he found the confidence in himself but soon realized that he cannot escape from the past that tormented him. Directed by Eric Rosen, Clay revolved around a central scene where Clifford appeared on the backstage with bloods on the forehead. The scene helped to unfold the violence and the tension between Clifford and his father, who he blamed for the death of his mother.  The scene also introduced Clifford’s mentor, Sir John, who guided Clifford into the Hip Hop culture. With that scene in place, all the different parts and elements of the story fell right in place. Unlike Dr Atomic, reading the libretto before the musical was unnecessary since the plot was well constructed.

Matt Sax’s one-man show turned out to be a success. Clay added a new element to my definition of one-man show. It turned out that sound and costumes could also create a clear distinction between the different characters. The phone dialing sound and Matt Sax’s multipurpose black sweater deceived the audiences into believing that there was more than one person on the stage. The scenery also translated the mood of the Hip Hop Musical. In the set construction, the director used curtain to signal the changing of scenes from the Library to Clifford’s home. Low intensity of lighting together with curtain’s gentle movement created the atmosphere of sadness and loneliness of Clifford, struggling to cope with his new relationship with his father and stepmother.

What I learned from musical performances was that we often construct our own interpretation of it. By the end of watching Clay, I was able to form my own view of it. Yet, other audiences may come to a different conclusion. Clay made the connection between the audiences and Clifford, who represented a part of everyone. Clay may just be the best musical I have seen.