THE SUN SHINES BRIGHT ON THIS RAISIN

REVIEW: A RAISIN IN THE SUN

BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO

A Noise Within continues its 2018 season on the theme of ‘Entertaining Courage’ with a production of Lorraine Hanberry’s play A Raisin in the Sun. The 1959 play denotes a courage of its own as it marked as the first play on Broadway to be written by a black woman and first to be directed by a black director, Lloyd Richards. Now fifty-nine years later the play’s themes of a minority’s struggle to attain the American dream in a world of racial inequality still ring true today, though the toil is no longer limited solely to African-Americans.

Ben Cain as Walter Lee Younger, Toya Turner as Ruth Younger. Photo by Craig Schwartz.

Although the play is considered one of the ten most produced play of this current season by American Theatre, there’s a sense that West Coast audiences have lost familiarity with this work in the last twenty years. This could be because most major productions are resigned to the East Coast or across the pond making now the perfect season for LA audiences to rediscover the poignancy of Hanberry’s seminal work at A Noise Within.

What’s immediately astounding about Raisin is the extent to which the text drives the drama from scene to scene leaving the director to steer the ship. And that’s exactly what director Gregg T. Daniel diligently accomplishes in this production—scenes are focused, characters are clear, and themes are left to emerge like flowers blooming in a garden.

Ben Cain as Walter Lee Younger. Photo by Craig Schwartz.

In the first scene Hanberry establishes the family dynamics, following this each character’s ambitions are exposed, and the point that, “God gave the black man nothing but dreams” is made, and then the mighty hand of prejudice intervenes in an attempt to stop the family from moving into a white neighborhood. Anyone who has ever had a dream that’s been challenged with find themselves relating every character in this play.

When producing Raisin the question becomes who will be our main protagonist, is it “Mama” Younger, or her eldest son Walter Lee Younger? In this production the answer is Walter Lee Younger played by Ben Cain. Cain’s struggle to make a better life for his family is so distinct that we are rooting for him the whole time—a commanding performance.

Saundra McClain as Lena Younger. Photo by Craig Schwartz.

Mama (Saundra McClain) is the life blood of the play, complementing Cain’s performance with her “mama know best attitude”. McClain’s delivery of Hanberry’s witticisms garner some of the biggest laughs of the evening, not just because what she says is funny, but more because we understand her character so clearly. Following suit with her own brand of histrionics is Beneatha Younger (Sarah Hollis) whose youthful spirit wizzes around like a bird whose found itself inside the house looking for a way out—a zestful, yet sincere portrayal. Joseph Asagai (Amir Abdullah) is the sage of the play, a perfect counterbalance to Beneatha. His monologue in act two is delivered with focus and purpose offering a change of perspective for Beneatha and the audience—a powerful moment.

Come to A Noise Within and discover all the courage that lies at the heart of Hanberry’s play—there’s something for everyone to discover in this production of A Raisin in the Sun.

TICKETS AND INFOMATION
Sunday, March 11 at 2 and 7pm
(Sunday Rush at 7pm)
Wednesday, March 14 at 7:30 pm (Pay What
You Can)
Thursday, March 15 at 7:30pm (The Charles
Reese Experience and Pasadena City College/
Jackie Robinson Humanities and Arts Lecture
Series presents, in conjunction with the A Noise
Within Symposium Series: Mamie Hansberry,
6pm)
Friday, March 16 at 8pm (Conversations)
Saturday, March 17 at 2 and 8pm
Sunday, March 25 at 2 and 7pm (Conversations
after 2pm; Sunday Rush at 7pm)
Thursday, March 29 at 7:30 pm

Friday, March 30 at 8pm (Conversations)
Saturday, March 31 at 2 and 8pm
Saturday, April 7 at 2 and 8pm
Sunday, April 8 at 2pm and 7pm (Sunday Rush
7pm)

Website: www.anoisewithin.org, Phone: 626-356- 3121