The stage erupts in giddy laughter as Elmo Robe exuberantly dances his family’s fancy dance, the dance of his father. Coached by his brother Craig, Elmo gyrates a playful and parodic hybrid of American Indian and African movements. Through tears of laughter, these two middle-aged brothers, themselves grandchildren of an African American and an American Indian, share the nostalgic blend of cultures gifted to them through their father’s comic dance. In the jarring moment that immediately follows the dance, Craig Robe’s knotted body gestures upward, alone, captured on an otherwise darkened stage in a narrow sliver of light. His contorted posture and vexed facial expression exposes feelings of anguish, regret, and helplessness. The sound of a flute gently scores the image.
Such juxtapositions of humor and pathos fuel
the dramatic action of William S. Yellow Robe Jr.’s newest play, Grandchildren of the Buffalo Soldiers.
As this joint touring production of
No two cultural groups
in the
The story extends
backwards for generations, but the play begins with a contemporary homecoming.
Estranged and adrift for years, Craig Robe reappears on the reservation to
attend his niece’s naming ceremony. An aggressive man prone to explosions
of laughter or violence, Craig struggles to regain the trust of his sister,
Sugar, and the affection of his youngest brother, Elmo. But the lion’s
share of family conflict arises when Craig collides with his other brother,
Brent. While the elder Craig encourages his family to embrace their mixed
racial identity, the younger Brent irons his hair and publicly denies his
father’s heritage. Both men, proud and stubborn, crash into each other in
a complicated battle over blood, family, and what it means to be whole.
American Indian drama
sometimes receives dismissive responses from critics who either do not
appreciate or cannot understand conventions such as the frequent use of
non-linear time and dimensionless stage boundaries. To his credit, Yellow Robe
succeeds in making his “Native” dramaturgy an accessible strength
of the script. The play’s most poignant and evocative moments occur when
characters dive backwards through time via ancestral stories or hold silent
dream-like tableaux beyond the earthly barriers of setting. As one of
the foremost American Indian playwrights active in today’s theatre,
Yellow Robe shows his ownership of these Native drama conventions.
The script misses when
Yellow Robe burdens his characters with lofty and overwrought speeches.
Playwrights like Tennessee Williams and August Wilson may indulge in similar
tactics, but their instincts as poets save them. More frank in style, Yellow Robe
does better when he lets his characters explain themselves through subtle
understatement. Likewise, the play brims with heavy-handed and often unneeded
exposition. In short, Grandchildren is one ruthless edit removed from playwrighting excellence.
Fortunately, Penumbra’s artistic
director Lou Bellamy’s skillful staging neutralizes the occasional fit of
over-reaching writing. Characters constantly circle one another in brooding
sweeps, never far from a hug or a punch. An image-maker, Bellamy repeatedly
finds fresh and humorous family vignettes. When characters connect, such as
the moment when Craig convinces Elmo that it’s okay for “Indians to
hug,” the results are surprisingly touching.
James Craven’s
dynamic performance of Craig dominates a competent cast of American Indian
actors. Physically perfect for the role, Craven prowls the stage with reckless
and exhausting vigor. Lovers of subtly may long for less, but nobody can fail
to appreciate the way Craven boldly straps the production to his back. As
Craig’s brother-in-law Stevie, M. Cochise Anderson balances
Craven’s reckless energy with a calm and friendly humor. As Elmo,
freedome bradley brings sweetness and comic zest to the slow-witted yet wise
younger brother. George A. Keller’s Sugar supplies a needed bridge
between the men in the family. As Brent, Craig’s primary combatant, Jake
Hart renders a competent if reserved performance; because of this, Craven often
overpowers him in toe-to-toe confrontations.
Scene designer Loy
Arcenas conveys the big sky of the
A joy of the production, Yellow Robe seasons his script with several colorful expressions that authenticate and celebrate contemporary American Indian culture, including such phrases as “ennit,” “snagging,” “fry-bread,” “AIMster,” “breed,” “skin,” “rez,” “FBI,” “Indian time” and “commodities.” While the contextual meanings of these phrases are best gleaned through seeing the production, an understanding of the Indian meaning of commodities supplies a fitting close to this review. On the reservation, commodities are government issued food staples, such as peanut butter, milk, eggs, preserved meats, etc. Although far from culinary perfection, commodities sustain life. Although a distance from theatrical perfection, Grandchildren of the Buffalo Soldiers offers precious commodities for its multicultural audience. These rare, much needed essentials include a moving and uniquely American story, vivid staging, passionate performances, strong production values, and the uncommon opportunity to witness a fine cast of American Indian actors perform a play written by an American Indian playwright.
ROBERT J. HUBBARD
Northwestern College,
IA
As
published in:
Hubbard, Robert J. "Grandchildren of the