In:
Modern Drama, University of Toronto Press Inc. (UTPress), Vol. 45, No. 1 ( 2002-03-01), p. 95-114
Kurzfassung:
When August Wilson's play Ma Rainey's Black Bottom debuted in New York's Cort Theatre in the fall of 1984, it was received rather coolly by the critics, but quite warmly by its audiences. Early critical reception pigeonholed the work as an overdone piece on the problems of race in America. John Simon, the reviewer for New York magazine, wrote that what Wilson delivers in the work "is only intermittently drama, more often rousing monologues, and finally more melodramatically didactic than imaginatively satisfying." Simon concluded that, for all its strengths, the play "sorely misses the transformative spark" — he wished the playwright "[b]etter luck next time". Edwin Wilson, writing for The Wall Street Journal, observed that "There is an abundance of atmosphere and banter, and a strong racial statement, but not much of a play." After summarizing the plot, he proclaimed that "The theme of the play is racial injustice" and explained how that theme is executed; but he, like Simon, concluded that "polemics do not make a play". In its 17 October issue, Variety magazine introduced Ma Rainey's Black Bottom as yet another "tragedy of racial bigotry," and suggested that "its technical clumsiness and downbeat story make it a difficult Broadway box office proposition". Such hasty dismissals of Wilson's first Broadway production proved to be shallow and obtuse, as word-of-mouth raves generated a high volume of ticket sales and turned Ma Rainey into "the first hit of the season." The critics took a second look at Wilson and "his powerful play," which according to The New York Times was "reawakening audiences to the wonder and dimensions of drama". The production went on to be nominated for three Tony awards, including one for best play, and it won the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play of the 1984-85 season.
Materialart:
Online-Ressource
ISSN:
0026-7694
,
1712-5286
Sprache:
Englisch
Verlag:
University of Toronto Press Inc. (UTPress)
Publikationsdatum:
2002
SSG:
9,3
SSG:
7,24
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