Magic, Music and Misery

Hoodoo Love – Raven Theatre

In a cluster of shacks nestled within a cul-de-sac near Beale Street, a pretty, young, African-American woman named Toulou dreams of becoming a celebrated blues singer. Katori Hall’s poignant drama, set in Memphis during the Great Depression, is filled with magic, music and misery. The ominous fog and mist roils out from between the hovels, drenching Toulou’s life in deception, despair and death. This two-act play, which debuted in 2007 at New York’s Cherry Lane Theatre, is the kind of drama that will leave audiences both spellbound and shaken by its conclusion.

Believing she has enough talent to become a musical artist, Toulou confesses her ambition to Ace of Spades, her cheating, roving boyfriend. He laughs at her and, following a violent, graphic night of love-making, withers her dreams of ever being a blues singer, while bragging about his other women. Then he hops a train to Chicago, leaving Toulou alone with her fantasies. She seeks romantic advice and dark magical assistance from her elderly neighbor, a hoodoo practitioner called the Candylady. This mystical woman long ago lost her husband, buried all her children and survived the harsh life of being a slave. Together the two women lay a hex on Ace of Spades to make him faithful to Toulou. 

While the magic seems to work, it also creates its own set of problems. Jib, Toulou’s shiftless older brother, suddenly shows up to complicate matters. He’s a real wheeler-dealer, determined to build his own church. However, he also has more than a protective, brotherly eye for his attractive, younger sister. Ms. Hall’s drama, unfortunately, veers into melodrama as Act II introduces incest, rape, childbirth, disillusionment and death. The play, which contains several humorous lines and situations, ends as it began. Toulou has changed her dress, packed her bag and is heading off to the big city to pursue her dreams.

Katori Hall, the award-winning author of the new musical “Tina,” which is based upon the life of pop diva Tina Turner, has also written a number of other noteworthy plays. Among them is “The Mountaintop,” a drama detailing the night before the assassination of Martin Luther King; “Hurt Village,” a gritty drama about the history and stories of life in a rundown Memphis housing project; and “Our Lady of Kibeho,” the moving tale of a group of schoolgirls in Rwanda who collectively witness a vision of the Madonna. In “Hoodoo Love,” an earlier play, Ms. Hall has brought her knowledge of growing up in Memphis, Tennessee, along with a look at its history. She’s seasoned this sometimes poetic, often violent drama with a generous sprinkling of mystery and folk magic. It’s this atmosphere that infuses Hall’s play with darkness and hauntingly holds its audience throughout the two+ hours.

Multitalented director Wardell Julius Clark has beautifully staged Ms. Hall’s play, integrating excellent organic movement into his staging. The musical direction provided by Ricky Harris, as well as some sensitive intimacy and violence direction guided by Rachel Flesher, make this production sparkle. Alexis Carrie’s period costumes, especially the undulating tiered flounces that cover the Candylady, are perfection. Sydney Lynne Thomas has designed a set that captures the eerie  atmosphere and rural setting of a shanty neighborhood, just off Beale Street. Sim Carpenter’s ghostly lighting and Jeffrey Levin’s superbly sensual sound design and original musical composition complete the picture, taking theatergoers into a sensual new world.

Clark’s four-member cast certainly does him proud. The beautiful Martasia Jones, who’s somewhat of a newcomer to Chicago audiences, is honest and brave in her portrayal of Toulou. She’s an expressive actress who has the ability to make the audience truly care about what’s happening to her. Hopefully Ms. Jones won’t become a stranger to Chicago stages. She’s a terrific actress and has the requisite vocal chops to convince us that she could actually succeed as a blues singer.

The always wonderful Shariba Rivers returns to Raven as the mysterious and magical Candylady. Having impressed audiences in productions of “Dividing the Estate” and “House of Blue Leaves,” Ms. Rivers dazzles and delights in each and every scene. She’s always fully committed and offers a special charismatic clairvoyance to this play, replaying everything through her facial expressions and body language. This actress continually captivates and mesmerizes throughout the play, leaving her presence in the memories of theatergoers.

So impressive in Steep Theatre’s production of “Red Rex,” Matthew James Elam plays Ace of Spades, another young man filled with pent-up ambition, anger and emotional energy. Already an actor with an impressive resume, Mr. Elam makes his debut with Raven Theatre in this play, but hopefully not his last appearance. He imbues Ace of Spades with an animal-like quality, a definite aura of danger while also being a fountain of passion. As  Jib, Christopher Wayland Jones also returns to the Raven Theatre stage, after wowing audiences in “Choir Boy.” He’s been a familiar face at the Marriott, Porchlight, First Folio, Lifeline and Griffin Theatres, as well. Here he brings life to what is essentially a two-dimensional character, and he does so with great care. Clark has wisely directed his actor not to play Jib as the villain, helping to guide Mr. Jones in finding the humor and humanity in an otherwise loathsome man.

With a heady mixture of hoodoo magic and tragic plot twists, Katori Hall’s drama starts out strong, but kind of flattens out by the end. The drama eventually becomes melodrama and doesn’t offer a satisfying conclusion to everything we’ve experienced. Hall unfortunately doesn’t really resolve all the storylines or conclude each character’s journey. But what this play lacks in providing a satisfying finale, Wardell Julius Clark more than makes up for with his dynamic direction. The scene in which Toulou and the Candylady conjure up a spell, for instance, is one of the most powerful moments in this, or any, play. This is also thanks to the excellent performances by Martasia Jones and Shariba Rivers. Mr. Clark’s production is a perfect mixture of magic, misery, mystery and music for a chilly Autumn evening.  

Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

Presented October 31-December 15 extended to December 22 by Raven Theatre, 6157 N. Clark St., Chicago.

Tickets are available in person at the box office, by calling 773-338-2177 or by going to www.raventheatre.com.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.