The Piano Lesson

[Lucky]

Lots of folks have been recommending The Piano Lesson, the August Wilson play at the Signature Theater that has been extended some three times. Prices started out at $25, but are now $75. Success has a price!

I will get right to the point. Those folks recommending the show are right on. It's excellent. It's also different. It's a slice of black life in 1936 Pittsburgh, and involves a family and friends who come together at a time when one of he characters very much needs to sell his piano. Problem is, he only owns half of it. His sister owns the other half, and boy does she not want to sell.

The piano has been in the family for some time, and has quite a history, which I will not go into. The story is interesting, for sure, but the attraction of The Piano Lesson is the fierce acting. We are watching black people recently moved to the North from the South. They have little education, and their accents and manner of speech take some getting used to, even for those of us with plenty of black friends. People just don't talk exactly like this today.

But the language is part of the charm. (The set and costumes are too.) The fight over the piano is only part of what we see. The rest is the interaction of friends, a ghost, a minister, and a silk suit. Oh, there's also a truckload of watermelons.

It's this interaction that gives each character his or her chance to shine, to show off their acting chops, and to move the plot forward. It moves at a leisurely pace, and at some point toward the end I found myself hoping it would move just a little bit faster, but that damn ghost had to have his show too. The ending is fun and makes the time worth it. I don't expect any further extensions, so if you can, see it soon- very soon. I think it closes Sunday.

(There was a tiny sideshow to my night. The ticket taker was a doll, and several times I found myself checking him out. He apparently took some notice of this, and when the show ended, he was ready for me. When I tried for my last look at him, he gave me a smile. Now what to do? I was in a hurry to leave as I had to pack and get up at 5 am. If that smile meant something. I would have to wait for him to finish work. But, I could ask him to meet me "for a drink" when he finished. Instead I just looked back at his smile and gave him one of my own. I was then on my way. Sigh.)

And that finishes Lucky's theater reviews for this trip.

[TotallyOz]

I have friends in NYC that loved this play and said it was one of their favorites this year.

Great review Lucky!