Smart People

Smart People

Second Stage Theatre

Tony Kiser Theatre

February 7, 2016

Photo courtesy of Second Stage Theatre

I immediately bought a ticket to see Second Stage Theatre’s production of  Smart People because it is written by playwright Lydia Diamond.  I studied playwriting with her at Chicago Dramatists a number of years ago.  She focused on teaching how to write realistic and riveting dialogue.  Her script overflows with this specialty.  Her dialogue connects the characters on a visceral level, creates compelling relationships which leads to strong conflict, and draws your attention deeply into what drives the play forward.  The production has a few flaws, but Lydia’s writing is sharp and detailed.

The title speaks for itself.  The play is about

Joshua Jackson & Tessa Thompson
Photo courtesy of Second Stage Theatre

four smart people.  Brian (played by Joshua Jackson) is a Harvard professor conducting a study on racism, particularly how a person’s brain reacts when seeing images of people of different races.  Jackson (played by Mahershala Ali) is a surgeon immersed in his residency while simultaneously running a clinic for people at risk.  Ginny (played by Anne Son), also a Harvard professor, is a psychologist who specializes in working with Asian women adapt to American society.  Valerie (played by Tessa Thompson) is an actress who cleans houses to pay off the extreme debt from graduate school.  The lives of these four very smart people intertwine as they emotionally relate and respond to one another based on their racial upbringing, self-image, and stereotypical expectations.  The deeper level of conflict surfaces when they choose to directly share their points of view on race relations.

Tessa Thompson & Mahershala Ali
Photo courtesy of Second Stage Theatre

The four powerhouse actors skillfully deliver these multi-dimensional characters with energy and vitality.  Their relationships are true and their emotional portrayals honest.  Unfortunately, there are times when they move in and out of the light.  Jason Lyons made some very bold choices in his lighting design, yet it does not always illuminate the playing areas completely.  The projections, designed by Zachary G. Borovay, create a strong atmosphere, yet spread over the set in a way that distorts the images.  Scenic design, by Riccardo Hernandez, utilizes the vast stage at the Tony Kiser Theatre, yet take away from the impact of the more intimate scenes.

Smart People runs at Second Stage Theatre through March 6.

Domenick Danza

An Afterthought:

When I got to the box office to pick up my ticket, the matinee had just let out.  There was a group of women heavily into a conversation about the social stereotypes and racial bias the show presented.  Since I just read a very poor blog review about the show, I listened into the discussion to get a different mindset before viewing the performance.  The women were committed to their points of view and impassioned by how the show broadened their frame of understanding. 

When I left the theatre that evening, I found myself agreeing with a few comments I heard earlier, yet I did not think the play made a strong statement about race in America.  The play did resonate with me, and after a few days of thinking about it, I realized that the depth of the characters and juxtaposition of the situations made a stronger statement than I had originally realized.

The two male character, one white and on black, are both frustrated with a specific work situation.  When each character voices their frustration, they face similar repercussions, yet are viewed very differently.  There is a strong commonality to their frustration, yet these two very intelligent, well-educated, hard working men cannot see beyond their own self-image and racial bias in order to bond over their situations. 

Playwright Lydia Diamond

This is one example of the subtle and powerful style in which Lydia Diamond chose to write this play.  There is a lot there, under the surface.  It is the purpose of theatre to make us think.  A catharsis occurs when we are able to view ourselves and the world differently after a shared experience.  Smart People is that kind of play.  See it if you want to understand yourself differently, but don’t expect it to be handed to you with ease.  You’re going to have to think, and that’s what makes good theatre.