11th Play - BlackTop Sky by Christina Anderson
Julian Parker (Klass) and Kristin E. Ellis (Ida) in the Theatre Seven production in Chicago in 2013. Photograph: Michael Brosilow
Christina Anderson’s How to Catch Creation was my first interaction with this playwright, and the creativity and clever dialogue in that play made it one of my favorites. This one is not as out-of-the box unusual as that one, but it paints a very interesting story nonetheless.
Summary: “Klass, a homeless, young Black man, sets up residence in the courtyard of the housing project where Ida Peters lives. Triggered by a fatal confrontation between a local street vendor and the police, Klass and Ida quickly develop a precarious bond against the backdrop of a restless neighborhood. Inspired by the Greek myth Leda and the Swan, Blacktop Sky examines the intersection of love, violence and seduction.” Concord Theatricals
Laura’s thoughts in brief: Okay, I researched the Leda and the Swan myth, and don’t totally understand the relevance. In some versions of the myth, the Swan (who is Zeus in disguise), sexually assaults Leda, and in some versions it’s a seduction. There is a moment in the play where (SPOILER) Ida and Klass come together where they certainly connect physically, but on the first reading it did not feel like either an assault or a seduction. I thought it was just an altercation between them, and the playwright mostly gives Ida agency with directions like, “she pushes him away, pulls him in,” so I didn’t feel like he was completely responsible. When I went back to reread those stage directions, I guess there is some ambiguity that the playwright is leaving up to the director. Clearly, if she says it’s based on that myth something sexual must happen here, but … Doubtless this would be obvious in a viewing of the play where a director would have made that decision. Additionally, the play is written so we feel for Klass, unlike Zeus who tricked Leda by turning into a swan (so she’s more likely to sleep with him, weird??), so, I don’t totally get it. I don’t always catch metaphors when I read plays quickly. May have to ponder this one a bit further.
Regardless, the relationship between Ida and Klass mostly feels like friendship, although we do sense a little attraction between them, really more from Ida than Klass. That could potentially could be intensified by the way the moments are played. It is fun to watch that relationship grow. Anderson creates very specific moments of the two of them going from bristling at each other to connecting beautifullly.
The relationship with Wynn and Ida is tricky. There are things we definitely don’t like about it, and yet, he represents income and a way out of the housing project, hence a better life for Ida. He promises not to “grab” her anymore, and I believed that he believes it. But will he? Maybe. Some people do learn and grow, but we don’t know and we don’t get to find out.
Overall, this was an intriguing play. My one concern for production was that there were a LOT of scenes, some of them very short and not even including text, just changes in the items we saw accumulated on Klass’ bench. It’s interesting storytelling on the page, seeing what he’s added, or what may have disappeared, but that many quick scene changes can get annoying to audiences. You can see that reflected in the reviews, which didn’t surprise me. I would definitely go see this play, but it’s not really mine to do, and it was not as compelling as How to Catch Creation.
READ MORE! Here’s what some of the critics had to say about productions:
https://www.timeout.com/chicago/theater/blacktop-sky-at-theatre-seven-of-chicago-theater-review
https://sdvoice.info/blacktop-sky-play-review/
https://www.citybeat.com/arts/blacktop-sky-painful-reality-12172314/