The curtains still drawn, we are serenaded by a lone musician, played by Martin Luther McCoy. His voice is clear, but there’s something raw about his performance that brings an authenticity to the setting. When the curtain rises, we are in the south, it’s the American Civil War, and the last few bits of the guitar make it feel as though we aren’t viewers but participants.
Father Comes Home from the Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3) is a Greek tragedy loosely based on Homer’s The Odyssey. It’s going to be lengthy and it’s going to be epic and no one better to write it than Suzan-Lori Parks.
Once the curtains have drawn up, we meet our hero, aptly named Hero, and we follow his journey; what appears to be a constant struggle with his identity and his freedom. Played with great depth by James Udom, who carries the weight of Hero’s struggles in his hands like the prized souvenirs collected on his journey.
Part One depicts his indecision; to serve with his master on the Confederate side… or escape by whatever means possible, not limited to self-harm.
He makes the decision to leave his beloved wife Penny (Eboni Flowers), and he doesn’t wait for his beloved Odyssey Dog (Gregory Wallace) either. He will serve his master.
It’s a turbulent journey. And the most poignant part comes in the second, when Hero helps his master capture a Union soldier, Smith, played by Tom Pecinka. The scenes that follow paint an absolutely accurate and still timely portrait of race relations in America. Pecinka brings an incredible emotional range to his work and it elevates Udom’s journey as Hero.
In a unnerving scene they discuss Hero’s worth, and it’s heartbreaking to see a human have his worth lowered to that of a wage. There’s a clarity in that scene that sets the tone for the rest of Hero’s journey, which for now ends in part three; his return home.
We can’t mention part three without a shout-out to Odyssey Dog. Gregory Wallace is an actor to watch. He is incredibly convincing in his role as a pup. He manages a wide range of emotions and truly embodies the innocence and loyalty of a dog. He’s equal parts hilarious and prophetic. Furthermore, he comes to symbolize the meaning, or rather meanings of the play. For it’s something that we need to find for ourselves, much like our Hero. Parks gives us the tools, and it’s up to us to interpret what freedom means to us.
Liz Diamond directs the talented cast. Her touch is subtle, but it’s there, a truth she asks of her actors that only a highly-skilled director could achieve. Something in the confines of the stage, a beautiful set by Riccardo Hernández, that allows the actors to move in a way that exhibits their inner selves; does it so that even the steel beams become a part of the journey.
Father Comes Home From the Wars (Parts 1, 2, & 3) playing at the A.C.T.’s Geary Theater in co-production with Yale Repertory Theatre now through May 20. For tickets and more information visit http://www.act-sf.org/
