(Harold
Ellis Clark)
The International Arts Foundation Inc. of
New Orleans in the United States, in association with Durban’s Playhouse
Company, is proud to present the acclaimed stage drama, We Live Here, by the award-winning American playwright, Harold
Ellis Clark. The powerfully written work, to be staged in The Playhouse Drama
theatre from May 5 to 7, 2017, marks an ongoing sister-city cultural exchange
between New Orleans and Durban, which aims to serve as a bridge in
communication and understanding between the two cities.
A work of global relevance and immediacy, We Live Here tackles and seeks to
redress the burning issues of racial hatred, fear and intolerance which continue
to challenge inter-demographic relations between communities the world over – as
the turbulent political landscapes of both South Africa and the United States
of America continue to demonstrate.
“In spreading its message, We Live Here serves with unswerving integrity as an instrument of
social cohesion that reaches beyond the confines of theatrical entertainment,”
says producer Ernest D Kelly, President and Chairman of IAF.
Durban audiences, however, need not brace
themselves for a mere finger-wagging exercise, as online reviewer Joseph Baker
assured his readers in an assessment of the play’s triumphant run in Memphis,
Tennessee in 2015: “I have mixed feelings about theatre offerings that are
redolent with the earnestness of a classroom lesson… I never know whether such
fare will yield a powerful theatre experience, or wag its righteous finger in a
‘you’d better learn from this social studies lecture’. The good news is that the former holds sway… Not only is Mr Ellis’ writing both perceptive
and timely, the excellent performances ensure a thought-provoking, dynamic
experience that is entertaining despite the seriousness of the proceedings.”
Reviewing another of Harold Ellis Clark’s
plays, Tour Detour, in the New Orleans Advocate newspaper last
November, Bruce Burgun, a retired professor from Indiana University and a
member of the American Theatre Critics Association, compared the respected
American dramatist’s work with that of South African playwright Athol Fugard:
“Reminiscent of father-son struggles in Fences and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Ellis’s play is closer to the gut-wrenching,
ethically provocative conflicts of South African playwright Athol Fugard,” wrote
Professor Burgun.
We Live
Here tells of Calvin and Francine Chaisson, a married black couple
from the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans, who move into a brand new home
located in an all-white suburban neighbourhood. Two weeks later someone writes
a racial slur on their property and Calvin catches the alleged perpetrator.
Well-known civil rights activist, Reverend
Thomas Todd, in response to the incident, pleads with Calvin to allow him to
hold a major protest march through the neighbourhood – an activity Francine is
vehemently against. Her feelings and frank meeting with Richard Rodrigues, one
of the alleged perpetrator’s relatives, force Calvin to consider Reverend
Todd’s wish. Another racial incident at his home that threatens the health of
both Francine and their unborn child adds further fuel to the inflammatory
situation.
Directed and designed by John Grimsley, We Live Here stars Kenneth Brown Jr as Calvin
Chaisson. Constance Thompson plays his wife Francine. She is eight months
pregnant.
Alfred Aubry appears as the charismatic
African-American Rev H Thomas Todd. The role of Richard Rodrigue, a loud-talking
70-year-old Caucasian with obvious health problems, is played by actor Matt
Borel. Actress Sharon Smetherman appears as his wife Barbara. The couple’s teenage
grandson Alex Rodrigue is portrayed by Oliver Grimsley. The role of Sal
Giordano Sr, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Deputy, is played by Kevin Hubble.
We Live
Here opens at The Playhouse in Durban on May 5 at 19h30, with further
performances on May 6 at 14h30 and 19h30, and May 7 at 14h00. To avoid
disappointment, early booking is advised for the short run of this important
work.
Tickets R175 (except for ‘Golden Circle’
tickets at R250 per person from row A to row E for the evening performances on May
5 and 6). Block booking discounts are available: 10 -19: less 10%;
20-49: less 20%; 50+: less 30%. A discount of 30% is also available to
card-carrying students and pensioners.
Booking is now open at Computicket on 0861 915
8000, or online at www.computicket.com. Bookings can also
be made at Computicket outlets at Shoprite Checkers, or via The Playhouse Box
Office on 031-369 9540 / 369 9596 (office hours).
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