Cullud Wattah @ The Public

[cjmclaughlin10]

Posted: 11/4/21 at 11:44pm

Previews started earlier this week and I’m curious to hear reports 

 

 

2021 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize winner Erika Dickerson-Despenza’s new Afro-surrealist play premieres at The Public about three generations of Black women living through the current water crisis in Flint, Michigan. It’s been 936 days since Flint has had clean water. Marion, a third-generation General Motors employee, is consumed by layoffs at the engine plant. When her sister, Ainee, seeks justice and restitution for lead poisoning, her plan reveals the toxic entanglements between the city and its most powerful industry, forcing their family to confront the past-present-future cost of survival. As lead seeps into their home and their bodies, corrosive memories and secrets rise among them. Will this family ever be able to filter out the truth? Directed by Lilly Award winner Candis C. Jones, CULLUD WATTAH blends form and bends time, diving deep into the poisonous choices of the outside world, the contamination within, and how we make the best choices for our families’ futures when there are no real, present options. CULLUD WATTAH comes to us from the same playwright and director duo behind the thrilling digital production of shadow/land.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 11/5/21 at 12:32am

An important reminder that the Flint water crisis is ongoing, and it's a staggering display of inhumanity and civic failure. It's ambitious, and tries to tackle a lot. A great set of characters, all well-developed, and interacting with each other in dynamic ways. Does a good job incorporating themes of religion and faith in the face of tragedy. Crystal A. Dickinson delivers a really strong performance in the leading role. Great design/production elements, and use of music. 

Having said that, I thought this play was a bloated, stodgy mess. Lots of wonky, slightly baffling choices in the structure and direction. While I respected the attempt to meld political drama with family drama, I thought the execution weighed the play down significantly. Lots of contrived, cliché twists and turns, "shocking reveals," etc. in an attempt to artificially ramp up the drama when there was nowhere organic left to go. 

Overall, I have nothing but respect for what she's attempting to do here, but I thought it was a big misfire from a craft standpoint. I'm trying to be even-handed here because I think there's a lot to respect about it, and I don't want to discourage people from seeing this play when (a) others might like it, because there are things to like about it, and (b) it serves a tangible purpose in trying to disrupt our national complacency over this urgent issue. I'd encourage people to see it for themselves and make up their own minds about it. 

Updated On: 11/5/21 at 12:32 AM

[Det95]

Posted: 11/5/21 at 8:42am

I'm sad I'm going to miss this. I went to college and lived in Flint during the water crisis, so this is a topic deeply personal to me. I remember going to the Fire Stations to get water and water filters from the National Guard. I'm glad this play is out there. Now that the crisis is "over" there isn't any attention on the people in Flint and the generation of children destroyed by the water crisis. I'd love to read more reviews from those on this board.

[kwoc91]

Posted: 11/5/21 at 8:47am

I was there last night and overall I agree with JBroadway's assessment.

There were a few shining moments in an otherwise bloated and uneven script. Act 1 is way too long (upwards of 90 minutes), and Act 2 feels like a hasty attempt to move the plot forward as quickly as possible. 

The performances were generally good. Unfortunately Crystal A. Dickinson was flubbing lines left and right to a distracting degree at the top of the show, but settled into a good flow by the time her character had its showy scenes. 

Huge shoutout to the set, lighting, and sound design teams. Some really great work here!

One thing I'll also point out was a special page in the Playbill that covered "theater etiquette." The playwright invited the audience to react how they deemed appropriate - "you are free to sway in your seat, gasp, laugh, cry..." etc. I thought it was a nice touch.

I also agree that people should see this and draw their own conclusions. It's certainly urgent, important subject matter.