The New Salisbury Players
The Meeting
The New Salisbury Players brings together students, alumni, faculty and friends of Salisbury University, Maryland, USA, who through their love for the art and craft of theatre desire to deliver the timeless messages carried in the words of great plays.
The Meeting is playwright Jeff Stetson's imagining of the never occurred encounter between two great opposing voices of the American Civil Rights movement, Malcolm X and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
Performances:
16th - 28th August (NOT Sunday)
Price:
£5.00 (£8.00 - includes The Rope in Your Hands) »
This is a thought provoking play and well worth seeing.
This is a thought provoking play and well worth seeing.
new Submitted by reviews on Fri, 2010-08-20 15:25.
The Meeting by Jeff Stetson
SU Department of Theatre and Dance & The New Salisbury Players
16/8/10 - 28/8/10, Venue 40, The Quaker Meeting House
The small cast of only 3 actors held my attention from the beginning to end. The premise of the play is an fictional meeting between Malcolm X and Rev Martin Luther King a few days before the assassination of Malcolm X in February 1965. The dialogue emphasises the two leaders opposing views on the most effective way to attain the common goal of freedom and equality for the black communities in the USA. The early banter has an edge to it and develops into impassioned arguments, defending their respective approaches. The different circumstances which brought them to their fights is also apparent - the routine segregation in the South for Rev. King and the harshness of life in inner city Harlem for Malcolm X.
The small number of props are well used and integral to the storyline. A simple apple is used by Malcolm X to put forward his case for the need to use force while the contents of the bag brought in by Rev. King is the pivotal point for the two men to begin to find common ground and agree that they can respect each other.
While most of the play revolves around Malcolm X and Rev King, the contribution brought by Rashad as bodyguard to Malcolm X was integral to setting the background into which the meeting was being set.
This is a thought provoking play and well worth seeing.
AN ABSOLUTE MUST SEE! ONE OF THE VERY BEST 2010!
AN ABSOLUTE MUST SEE! ONE OF THE VERY BEST 2010!
new Submitted by reviews on Wed, 2010-08-25 18:05.
I am originally from the South, and I've always been fascinated with many aspects of the black civil rights movements. In school, I never really saw race, or color, until someone made a point of it to me, and then it never stuck. What sticks with me to this day is the language, the ideas, the ultimate timelessness of having a dream, demanding respect, and a society that can always be better, no matter where you live.
"The Streets are yours, but they aren't safe."
Finding inspiration in the messages of people like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X is not difficult for me. Finding intelligent theatre, music or art that deals with these subjects is next to impossible in 2010. But hold on dear readers, you are in the best of luck! With only 4 days left, 'The Meeting' by Jeff Stetson is a MUST SEE.
The play brings to life a 'never happened' meeting between King and X, and explores with demeanor, courage and wit the themes and tenents of both sides of the civil rights movement: violence and non-violence in black and white. The accomplishments here cannot be understated - the play manages an informed discourse, without devolving into cheap 'whitey' epithets, or bad Murdochian or Hollywood black stereotypes.
Cedric X. Hardnett gives a solid, tangible performance as Malcolm X, and is just quirky enough onstage with it to exist in an honest portrayal of one of American history's troubled titans. Terron T. Quailes provides robust balance for the presentation and a tangible believability as Dr King. What both do best is become their own inside these characters, which is an absolute requirement - I consider it an act of outright bravery for young actors to even attempt such roles, and thank them, gratefully for doing so.
Supporting the main characters is A. Omare Dennis, as Rashad, X's bodyguard. Dennis brings a fresh young angst to the stage, and presents a needed scepticism of the imminent rendezvous, but I felt that both he and his character were a bit underutilised. I feel that Rashad, being so close to X, would have a little bit more to say about his investment in and commitment to the movement, and this could be a place for just a hint of further development, but not too much. I also felt that the play needs more time onstage, there's a lot to take in, feels a bit rushed, and in a perfect world these actors should be given time to allow their characters to percolate, perhaps like Stoppard does with AE Houseman and Oscar Wilde in The Invention of Love - but that's the Fringe: all you can say in just under an hour. But don't be fooled, this is a damn good 50 minutes.
Also, Stetson thankfully avoids the big-speech trap when dealing with two great orators such as X and King. Instead, the historical references are carefully crafted into a conversation, allow them a natural place with the characters. This treatment seems uniquely American, and rightly so, avoiding a bombastic grandstand of idealism. At one point, Malcolm X exclaims "When you lead, you die..." Not this play - a new leader in intelligent, risk-taking theatre.
I sat in the lobby and read through my copy of James Baldwin's Amen Corner to get in the right mood for The Meeting - I use a lot of work from King, X, and Baldwin in my prison writing workshops for young men in custody. The ironic thing I've discovered is that young men who come from highly-challenged backgrounds in Scotland seem to really identify with these leaders. And after seeing this performance of Stetson's The Meeting, I am now convinced that onstage and off, the goals of liberation, education, and the desire to live and be treated decently, without prejudice, are not only applicable today, they just might be colorless.
AN ABSOLUTE MUST SEE! ONE OF THE VERY BEST 2010!
www.wix.com/newsalisburyplayers/themeeting
www.venue40.org.uk
25, 26, 27, & 28 August 6pm Quaker Meeting House 6 pounds (a 2-4-1 with Salisbury Players second work directly following is available).
--Martin Belk, 24 August 2010
Powerful viewing for those interested in peace and violence
THE MEETING
Salisbury University Department of Theatre
The Meeting is a powerful, thought-provoking and beautifully acted play, about what might have happened if Martin Luther King (who took the non-violent peaceful path towards equal rights for blacks in America) had met Malcolm X (who followed the violent path - believing that nothing would change through love and peace).
The play is a good exposition of non-violence and violence and their black and white nature is also reflected in the set. Terron T. Quailes absolutely embodies Martin Luther King Jnr, and Cedrick X. Hardnett portrays the vulnerability of Malcolm X - a side we rarely saw during the civil rights era. Omare Dennis as Malcolm X's right hand man also gives a strong performance.
This is a really important play which I recommend as vital viewing for those who are interested in peace and its counterpoint, violence. It also shows the importance of connecting with and seeing humanity in anyone - even those with whom we totally disagree. The ending of the play is especially important for us all to witness.
Please make time to see it if you can - it is only an hour long
Jasmine Perinpanayagam