Hiphopanonymous

"You're a white girl at a hip-hop station...that's social commentary enough."

As promised in yesterday's posting, I went and viewed a local stage production put on by some friends entitled "Where Hip-Hop Lives" that purported to be a " a socially relevant poetisical (think musical...but replace the music w/ poetry) takes a funny and provocative look at the elements of hip hop culture & where the art is going." The first and obvious question is, was it at all good? And in short, I must answer yes.

Now the caveat:
To be truly objective I would have to disassociated myself from the fact that the only reason I saw the "poetisical" (I would have gone with poetriesical) is because two friends were involved (as actors, writers, producers, etc...). However, No one really cares--that is going to read this--whether I am truly objective, so up front I'm going to admit that I am approaching this review with good natured bias.

The play was put on in a library auditorium with very minimal staging ( two tables, chairs, laptops, fake mics, and some handwritten signs) and as such not much can be said for production value (on the contrary, the programs were professionally done). The outfit responsible for the show (founded by playwright/lead actor Paul Grigsby) known as Art As An Agent For Change (take a breath...) obviously was operating on a catch-as-catch-can basis. Thus there was no real stage direction, lighting, sound, etc. The only audio outside of the actors speaking voices came from sound-clips played from the laptops being used as props. All in all it didn't detract from the show, but it certainly was noticeable.

The best thing that can be said for "Where Hip-Hop Lives" is that the performances are solid, and at times inspired. Saying such is vastly important, because the play is put on by three actors with very minimal action, so if the actors didn't bring it, then there would be no reason to come. Thankfully, the actors did bring with them an intensity and enthusiasm for the material that was infectious and helped pull you out of the dead spaces (which there were an unfortunately large number of, but it was the shows first full run through.) The story involves three main characters, played by Odinaka Ezeokoli, Hetty White, and Grigsby and centers around Odinaka's and Hetty's character's as DJs in separate radio stations. Both stations are run by the same guy named Irv played by Grigsby. The DJs characters are solid, and it was very obvious that Hetty was having a good time playing up her white girl acting black stereotype (a point that fits prominently into the thematic of the play, and might actually have been the strongest element.) She really threw herself into the role, and was able to draw out some real emotion (a good sign that she could handle future, more dramatically oriented roles.) Odinaka, who also does stand up, really stood out as the auxiliary characters he played (with a surprise that I just can't spoil for you in good conscience), but even as the DJ character he brought the comic energy of a stand-up routine to his lines (throwing in a little dance or two here and there.) There were children in the audience, and his antics really brought the giggles out. Grigsby proved he could really act by switching between three main parts, two of which really demonstrated his outstanding range being as they are so diametrically opposed (think mousy fairy vs. overcompensating thug). Yet, I must admit that he was much better playing the humorous characters then he was playing it straight as Irv. One of my biggest problems with the whole story, and the performance, was the Irv character who always seemed like he was meant to be a white, corporate stereotype (Grigsby is black) but who just came off as awkward.

The format of the show doesn't really work yet, like I said earlier, because of the near complete lack of action. There were moments when the DJ characters sat in silence behind their tables for far too long because when they stop talking...nothing is happening. The intention was to mix poetry into the story, and to this end the three actors periodically take center stage to deliver poetic monologues. This method didn't work so much as when the poems were brought into the story by one of the characters (say as a caller in to the radio program). The problem is that, as the synopsis provided by the artists states, the play wants to be socially relevant. When this is attempted in the story, it works for the most part, but simply expressing esoteric ideas about the current state of hip-hop (an oddly paradoxical act in-and-of itself) in verse tends to lose the audience (this could be a fault of delivery, I would have to see the show again to really be able to make that call.)
Yet, as I stated, when the story attacks "issues" surrounding hip-hop, it is a bit more successful. The plotline involving the female DJ, Katy Cain, works best in its attempt to deconstruct the misogyny and racism inherent to modern "hip-hop." The other storyline, involving Odinaka's DJ is less convincing, and borderline ridiculous as it attempts to make a commentary on hip-hop's predilection for violence by having the DJ faced with a dilemma wherein to keep his job he must agree to give away 9mm pistols over the air.

More only real criticism is that there is no real emotional payoff in the ending. The characters are simply mouth-pieces for their respective issues, and the resolution of the plotlines is weakened as a result. There is an ending of sorts, but it tries to be a bit too tidy. (Don't get mad, nothing can be perfect.)

All in all the play is a mostly enjoyable experience because the actors bring an energy and life to the characters that at time elicits a real emotional response. I laughed out loud a few times, and had there been more than fifteen people in the audience (a near-tragic sight) I think the humor would have been more apparently appreciated. As for the social-relevance (I have intentionally left out any commentary on the "homophobia" because it feels forced and unrelated in its current inclusion) I'm not sure. If the play is truly meant to be used an agent for change, it needs to find the right audience I suppose.