“Why do bad things happen to good people?” It was a question I’ve always asked myself when I read or heard about terrible things on the news. I never quite got the answer I wanted, but I remember being told from an early age it’s all in “God’s hands” and so, I stopped questioning it. Tarell Alvin McCraney brings this question back into the center of our minds with his powerful, emotional piece Head Of Passes. Head of Passes, which gets its name from the part of the Mississippi River that feeds into the Gulf of Mexico, is a piece inspired by the book of Job from the Bible.
For those who are unfamiliar with the story, it’s about a faithful servant of God whose faith is continuously tested when terrible occurrences keep happening to him without warning or explanation. McCraney’s play isn’t a direct copycat of the biblical story, but the elements and message of the story are clear. In his piece “Job” is now Selah (played brilliantly by the remarkable Phylicia Rashad), a widowed mother of three whose children join together to throw her an elaborate birthday party, a party she never wanted in the first place.
The dialogue and family scenes of the first act are so vivid and important, it’s clear McCraney took his time crafting his piece. There were no awkward, unnecessary phrases or lines, every word that left the characters mouths added to the story. The characters spoke with urgency, with purpose like they were running out of time. Perhaps that was purposeful, since the idea of “running out of time” was a reoccurring theme. As we see Selah coughing up blood, we can only assume that she doesn’t have much of it and is trying to make peace with those she loves most.
She attempts to heal the broken relationship between Creaker (John Earl Jelks) and Crier (Kyle Beltran), a father/son duo that work for her. She forgives her dear, old friend Mae ( Arnetia Walker) of any debts, she advises her sons Aubrey (Francois Battiste) and Spencer (J. Bernard Calloway) to do their best, and she tries to help her late husband’s illegitimate daughter Cookie (Alana Arenas) whom she loves like her own. She’s like the spokeswoman for being a good Samaritan, she is almost too good to be true. It’s such a shame, that instead of the audience mourning for her death, she becomes the mourner and I don’t know which is worse.
In the second act the tone of the play is much more somber than the first, I’d almost call it haunting. The end of act one concludes with a storm that ruins Selah’s house, both literally and figuratively. The scenic design of the destruction and all that comes after is mind-blowing, probably the best scenic work I’ve seen done in years. What Rashad and McCraney have done with the second act is absolutely astonishing. In that act alone Ms. Rashad takes us on an emotional whirlwind, something that couldn’t happen if the writing wasn’t as strong as it was. As Selah is hit with bombshell after bombshell her sanity, her faith is slipping from under her. She is sinking, literally (as her house becomes more and more flooded) and figuratively (as the news of her children deaths break her down). In this moment Selah is confused, hurt, and seeking answers. She’s trying to hold on to the faith that she’s kept for so long but is obviously grieving for the children she’s lost. Rashad is able to capture Selah’s confusion and misery in one look, and in the next she’s optimistic, then in the next moment she’s exhausted. One can only imagine the emotions a monologue such as this requires, but Rashad is more than capable of taking on that task.
Theatre is one of those spaces that shouldn’t be limited, it should be free. It should open up dialogue about just about any and everything, from politics to theological ideologies and it’s pieces like Head Of Passes that give me hope for the future of theatre. Not only can it serve as a place of escapism and entertainment, it’s a source that can make us dig deeper into ourselves, question the world we live in, and seek out ways to be able to make a difference.
I’d say The Public Theater has yet another hit on its hands and if this show doesn’t transfer to Broadway, I will be the first to be surprised.
Head of Passes is currently running at The Public Theater until April 24th tickets can be purchased here.
