Sadly, Sunday night’s performance of Bloody Blackbeard was one of the least interesting productions I have seen at Triad Stage in quite some time. I refrain from using the term “worst performance” because more goes into the finished product of a play than what is written by the playwright; indeed, several actors gave compelling performances, specifically, the actor with the role of the mature Blackbeard. The actors were not able to overcome the inherent weakness of the play. The play was tedious, even boring and certainly lacked direction. The playwright just never managed to decide what the play was about. Was it a comedy, a musical, serious fare, southern Christian symbolism with overtones of Jungian psychology? Even Laurelynn Dossett’s music could not help redeem over two hours of confusion; although the outstanding set design, an unfailing hallmark for the every production I have attended over my duration as a season ticket holder, was the unequivocal high water mark of the evening.
While we may have to suspend disbelief to enter into the world of live theater, once we accede to that premise we should be able to discern some internal logic or structure or pattern by which to observe and participate in the thesis of the imaginary world which has been created for us. The cliched use of piratic alliteration pointed the play in the direction of a quasi-Disney movie interspersed with comedic interludes; however, the simulated gang rape near the end of the play is not something one generally associates with comedy; although, I actually observed many in the audience laughing, perhaps, that was one way of expressing either their discomfort or their disbelief. Those familiar with internet abbreviations might consider WTF! a more apt response. I have no puritanical ax to grind with regard to specific content of a play; in fact, the subject of rape was handled with artistic realism in From The Mississippi Delta but it mattered to the telling of the story whereas in Blackbeard it was an embarrassingly awkward appendage, or perhaps more metaphorically correct, it was a shameful display of dead low tide sensationalism. Cliches notwithstanding, the staccato delivery of lines which footnoted the action with bits of information (I suppose to maintain some semblance of historical accuracy or legend consistency–who cares, it’s a play!), were largely incomprehensible so that what was supposed to inform us turned into complete gibberish.
Beyond the bizarre introduction of gang rape into a production, which has seemingly been promoted as a family fun play, aping but failing to achieve the campy élan of Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean, I found I really didn’t care about the subject matter at all. Blackbeard as a central figure as written in this particular play was simply boring. I found it impossible to believe that the sea exerted some mysterious, almost supernatural power over the young Edward Teach, nor was I able to parlay that notion, even if I accepted it for arguments sake, into a soul lost to the powers of evil, an incarnation of Satan itself. And, really, who in the world can believe the scenes with the wholesome, innocent girl who attempted to redeem and reform Teach, as she forlornly sings of her betrayed love following her gang rape by Teach’s crew, which was instigated by the infamous pirate himself? Come on, Preston!! This isn’t the Emperor’s New Clothes where the audience is appropriately duped into believing they are witnessing the finery of high art when in fact they are the true spectacle, naked and adoring in their ignorance.
Two things: This doesn’t bode well for next season’s production of Ghost; and, Open Space Cafe Theater is looking more and more promising as an option to continuing as as season ticket holder at Triad Stage.
