Rescuing the Bard
Jacob Ming-Trent in How Shakespeare Saved My Life at The Folger Theatre. Photo by Erika Nizborski.
a review of How Shakespeare Saved My Life
by Gregory Luce
In the Folger Theatre’s world premiere of How Shakespeare Saved My Life, prolific stage and television actor Jacob-Ming-Trent not only delivers a powerful performance, but carries out a critically valuable service: His one-man show is another important manifestation of the ongoing project of rescuing Shakespeare from the canon of Dead White Males and demonstrates the Bard’s continuing relevance to the contemporary world. It continues a tradition that includes productions in Native American languages, for example, in settings reflecting their cultures or stagings that reflect African or other former colonial cultures. The play is also a welcome addition to the practice of setting Shalespeare’s plays in varying historical eras including our own time, as presented by Hollywood or, closer to home, D.C.’s own Shakespeare Theatre Company and the Folger itself, as in its presentation last year of Julius X.
Ming-Trent takes us on a journey that is by turns funny—even hilarious at times—poignant, and deeply moving. This undertaking is strongly enhanced by the intimacy of the theater, which brings the audience close and allows Ming-Trent to fill space with his powerful and compelling presence.
The play begins with the actor’s entrance from the back of the theater. Once he has climbed onto the stage, he immediately takes command, addressing viewers as “Congregation” and instructs them to shout “Play on!” when he gives the signal, Thus the audience in effect becomes another character, frequently called on to interact by making noise and responding to various prompts. Indeed, I was put in mind of an old-fashioned prayer meeting, mostly secular, though God, who seems to be Black and is accessible by telephone, does play a part in the story.
Jacob relates his life story, beginning with his mother throwing his father out of the house. The boy ,while still a teenager ,will soon follow, He becomes enthralled by the work of Shakespeare in his middle-school English class, even though his teacher tries to convince him that the Bard is not for Black boys, because she feels the proper ficus of study should be Black authors. Undeterred, he begins to refer to himself as a Shakespearean actor despite the mockery and criticism this entails.
The young Jacob, having become homeless, ends up dropping out of school. Seeking help, he implores the preacher of a dying church for shelter, is befriended by a street gang that becomes for a time a surrogate family, and briefly reconnects with his father who has become a heroin addict and from whom he learns a little bit about his parents’ marriage and his own entry into the world. In one of the play’s saddest turns, Jacob must leave his father because he doesn’t want to witness his father poisoning himself with drugs.
One hilarious scene, in which Jacob recounts the loss of his virginity, involves the actor recruiting an audience member to play the part of his first sexual partner. On opening night, when I attended, he selected an elderly white woman who gamely got up on stage and danced with Jacob and reacted to his seduction, which of course included the line “I’m a Shakespearean actor.” This lady acquitted herself well, responding with humorous facial expressions and gestures. I would love to see another production just to see this particular scene and who gets called up.
Throughout all these events, Jacob continues to pursue his dream of becoming an actor. Another very funny sequence has him trying to enroll in an acting program. He impresses the teacher with his eloquent recitation of a passage from Shakespeare, but is then informed that roles like Hamlet are not for the likes of him, but instead he should play Othello. At this point, the audience is directed to repeat “You should play Othello!” repeatedly as Ming-Trent wanders the streets imagining himself being stalked by crowds loudly chanting the command.
Jacob continues relating his tale as he again seeks God’s help by telephone, encounters his father one last time before his death, which leads to another confrontation with his mother. Jacob, now a young man, demands to know why she treated him so badly and why she never seemed to love him. Her response is possibly the most heartbreaking point in the show as she explains that though he was born from the love she had with his father, the first time she held Jacob she felt nothing. She admits she never loved him and does not wish ever to see him again.
Fortunately, a visit with a sympathetic doctor, who tells Jacob he is worthy and has a right to live his life, sets the actor on a path to something like redemption. The play closes with an extremely moving scene, which I will not disclose so as not to spoil the experience for prospective viewers.
Jacob Ming-Trent in How Shakespeare Saved My Life at The Folger Theatre. Photo by Erika Nizborski.
This play is billed as a one-man show, but in fact it really takes a village to pull this one off. Tony Taccone, veteran director who has produced several single-actor performances, including shows with Carrie Fisher and John Leguzamo, has done a splendid job pulling all the elements together and framing a powerful performance from the star. In conjunction with choreographer Tiffany Rachelle Stewart and sound designer and music composer Jake Rodriguez, his direction keeps the pacing percent and the energy on full for the entire 95 minutes. Alexander V. Nichols’ production design and Takeshi Kata’s scenic design beautifully frame Ming-Trent’s realization, becoming in effect yet another character.
Music, in fact, is integral to the play. Rodriguez uses funk, snatches of hip-hop, and bits of rock to accentuate relevant parts of the story. Jacob himself places Shakespeare in a pantheon that also includes James Baldwin (another Black writer saved in part by the Bard), Tupac, and Biggie Smalls, the latter two depicted as martyrs to the cause of Black art.
Jacob Ming-Trent in How Shakespeare Saved My Life at The Folger Theatre. Photo by Erika Nizborski.
How Shakespeare Saved My Life runs through July 5. I urge you to reserve your tickets or call the box office at 202-544-7077. Running time is approximately 95 minutes with no intermission.
Gregory Luce is the co-founder and poetry editor of Washington Unbound. He has published six chapbooks. He lives in Arlington, serves as Poetry Editor of The Mid-Atlantic Review and writes a monthly column for the online arts journal Scene4.