[Editor’s Note: The Convert (http://www.centertheatregroup.org) closes a month-long run Saturday evening at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, 9820 Washington Blvd.]
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Sage Ryan, left, with his brother, Kaien, and their mother, Jessica Jacobs
The Convert, written by Danai Gurira and directed by Emily Mann, is a play at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, Culver City, about the British colonization of Africa. The story revolves around a young African girl named Jekasai, played by Pascale Armand, and her journey learning the Christian religion and straying away from her own culture.
Her name is changed to Ester, and the play shows how her experiences with others and their various influences change her.
Besides Ms. Armand, the production stars Zainab Jah, Cheryl Lynn Bruce, Leroy McClain, Kevin Mambo, Warner Joseph Miller and Harold Surratt.
The acting was superb.
It was the character portrayal that drew in the audience, creating an emotional story and expressing the radical plot.
This story shows a different perspective of the colonization of Africa. The actors also take into consideration that the audience often likes a balance of comedy and tragedy. This production gives the audience a laugh when showing how the African natives are trying to pronounce the words and phrases in the Christian religion and the English language.
The play is very realistic. One exception is the opening scene where the audience may not know the plot or even story of the play, and is confused.
For example, the music being played and the accents of the characters do not seem to match the furniture and most of the attire.
Nevertheless, the play is realistic because of the attire (once you understand the story), the non-diegetic material (the African music and the lighting of day and night), and especially the bilingual element of the production. When two characters who had not yet been converted and still spoke their native language regularly, had a conversation, the actors spoke the Shona language. Their body language, the context, and their facial expressions implied what the conversation was about.
Many of the actors may have had this heritage, accents, and possibly spoke this language fluently. But I am not sure.
The costumes, as I said, matched the context and the characters very well. The head costume designer was Tony- nominated Paul Tazewell. Although mostly basic costumes such as a nineteenth century tuxedos and the makeshift clothing of the natives were worn, the attire showed that the people of Zimbabwe who had not even been converted still had been influenced by the British. For example, Harold Surratt’s character was wearing a sarong made of a rag and was barefoot. Yet he wore an old blazer and dirty fedora as well.
The set was extremely “non-African.” It was European and very different from common Shona houses. It is mentioned various times that the floor was concrete, not made of cow dung. The main character (Jekasai), is caught smelling the floor when she is introduced to her new surroundings, another part of the comedy that is added to the story.
The entire show takes place in this house, and specifically the “living room,” which also is Chilford, the missionary’s (actor Leroy McClain), office area in one corner. The set was partially destroyed in a scene where Jekesai and Tamba (Warner Joseph Miller) were covering up the murder of Chancelor (Kevin Mambo). After the incident it is shown that the characters have replaced parts of their furniture with bricks, crates, and a bench replaced the European love seat.
Ms. Mann, the award-winning director, brought The Convert to life. The actors and technical crew also delivered. Although it had a very basic storyline and plot, the play was interesting and draws one in.
I am glad I had a chance to see this emotional, intriguing, and enlightening production.
Mr. Ryan, who is 12 years old, is enrolled at West Los Angeles College and has taken courses at UCLA. He may be contacted at sageryan08@yahoo.com
