Hoyle Makes “Tings” Happen
The newspaper “The Onion” recently published an article entitled “Djimon Hounsou To Play Every African In The World,” discussing the tendency of the entertainment industry to limit both actors, and characters, based on ethnic lines. In an industry so prone to typecasting based on race, it is both surprising and enticing to see a play in which nearly all the characters are African, and in which they are all played by one actor. One white actor, that is.
In The Culture Project’s latest production, “Tings Dey Happen,” San Francisco based Dan Hoyle brilliantly conveys the complexities of Nigeria’s oil politics in a modest one-man show in a tiny SoHo theater. Having spent a year in Nigeria as a Fulbright Scholar, Hoyle carries out the production of “Tings Dey Happen” with a certain grittiness and reality that can only be conceived by someone who has experienced a people’s suffering and frustration firsthand. Though it does take a little adjustment to overcome the shock of being welcomed to “Africa” by a lanky white man with a startlingly accurate Nigerian accent, the true depth and genius of the play sets in within a few minutes.
Based on Hoyle’s encounters with the people of Nigeria, and their feelings towards, and relations to the quagmire of African oil politics, the play takes off quickly, introducing new characters at an almost dizzying pace. The rapid-fire rhythm of the play however, never quite gets to the point where it loses its audience, rather, it creates a feeling of life and animation in the characters, and brings to life the importance of the issues being addressed. Though the fast pace, combined with the use of Nigerian creole does make it admittedly difficult to follow at some points, it also serves to strengthen Hoyle’s overall message by creating a real world, with real people, and real issues, all worthy of the audiences’ attention.
Another noteworthy aspect of the play is Hoyle’s tremendous acting ability. Through his exquisite use of inflection, body language, and dialect, Hoyle is able to portray the countless characters in the story as individuals. Without so much as a costume change or signature prop for any of the characters, Hoyle literally transforms into a dozen different, true-to-life, completely believable people. From a Scottish oil man to a prostitute, from a Nigerian freedom fighter, to a drunken government official, from a stage director to a Texan Chevron employee, Hoyle becomes each of his characters, to the extent where the audience can recognize a recurring character after 40 minutes, despite his identical appearance to any other given character.
Dan Hoyle’s brainchild is undoubtedly a unique and thought-provoking performance. His wholehearted performance ignites a feeling of outrage at the social injustices of our time. Hoyle opens a new realm for political theater, combining irresistible humor and a biting sense of seriousness to open the audience’s eyes to the need for change. Not only does Hoyle overcome racial boundaries and achieve the goal of any actor by seducing the audience into forgetting his identity in favor of his characters, he also defeats apathy and challenges his audience to see the world through fresh perspectives.