Red Velvet with Adrian Lester, superb at St. Ann’s Warehouse
Red Velvet is based on the true story of Ira Aldridge, a young, black, American, actor who stepped into the role of Othello at London’s Theatre Royal in 1833 after the lead actor collapsed. Red Velvet imagines the behind-the-scenes drama and significant resistance that attended Aldridge taking the stage.
Lolita Chakrabarti, who wrote the play, and Adrian Lester, who stars as Aldridge, both won Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards in connection with the production’s premiere at London’s Tricycle Theatre in 2012. Indhu Rubasingham, Tricycle Theatre’s artistic director, directed the London and New York productions. It opened at St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn on Sunday, March 30th and performances are scheduled to run through April 20th.
We’ve been eager to see Red Velvet since Nicole from Mildly Bitter’s Musings first raised it on Maxamoo’s Podcast in January and we are happy to report that it is a beautiful production. Led by Lester’s powerful, yet vulnerable, performance, Red Velvet examines a tragic, historical reality through the flawed, human perspectives of its characters.
For fans of Shakespeare, there’s a healthy scene from Othello performed in the style of the time, which favored poses and histrionics over authenticity and emotion, something Aldridge began to question in rehearsals. The remainder of the play is a traditional drama that provokes emotions ranging from disgust to empathy for every character, including the antagonist heir-apparent ousted by Aldridge.
Recommended if. . .
- You enjoy hearty, resonant, historical dramas,
- You’re a fan of Adrian Lester,
- You love theater about theater, or
- You’re looking to entertain sophisticated out-of-town guests who want to experience great theater (and aren’t afraid to travel outside of Midtown Manhattan to see it).
Critics’ Reviews
New York Times
Grandeur Under Siege
Mildly Bitter
Another Generation and a Dream Deferred
Village Voice
Brooklyn Hosts a Historic Othello
TheaterMania
This American premiere from London’s Tricycle Theatre brings the ghosts of the past roaring back to life.
Time Out New York
The formidable British actor Adrian Lester stars as Ira Aldridge—an African-American thespian who made waves playing Othello at London’s Covent Garden in 1833—in this historical drama by Lolita Chakrabarti. Tricycle Theatre’s Indhu Rubasingham directs the American premiere at St. Ann’s.
New York Theater
Adrian Lester as First Great Black Shakespearean Actor
TICKETS
$45-$75 (click here for tickets)
DATES
March 25 – April 20, 2014
LOCATION
St. Ann’s Warehouse
29 Jay Street
Brooklyn, NY
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RUNNING TIME
2 hours and 15 minutes, one intermission
NEWS
The Guardian
Adrian Lester on how to be a great stage actor: hunch over and bellow
The Independent
‘It’s about pushing boundaries’: Indhu Rubasingham on her rise to artistic director
Ideas Tap
Playwright Lolita Chakrabarti on researching ‘Red Velvet’
The Independent
Lolita Chakrabarti, ‘Red Velvet’, and what’s wrong with theatre today
CAST & CREW
(partial list)
Written by Lolita Chakrabarti
Directed by Indhu Rubasingham
Featuring Simon Chandler, Rachel Finnegan, Natasha Gordon, Nic Jackman, Adrian Lester , Charlotte Lucas, Eugene O’Hare, and Oliver Ryan