Lorraine Hansberry was the first African American woman with a play featured on Broadway, and the first Black playwright to earn the New York Drama Critics Circle award. Her list of accomplishments keeps going. The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window was her second play on Broadway and the one Intiman Theatre and the Williams Project chose to bring on stage this year. It is a realistic and political play that does not shy away from controversial topics, though it seems insensitive at times. Characters discuss racism, communism, sex work, art, queerness and whatever else the music and alcohol in Sidney Brustein’s apartment let surface.
The play takes place in 1964, in Sidney Brustein’s Greenwich Village (NY) apartment. It is a static but extremely realistic set with brick walls and even working bathroom lights. The few scenes that did not technically take place in the apartment were handled well and it was made clear that the setting had changed by the lighting and dialogue, as well as a surprising cascade of water that would not have been able to exist in a New York apartment.
The rest of the time the audience got an inside peek into the lives of Sidney and his wife, Iris, as they unwind, fight, struggle through their marriage, make life decisions and host their friends and family, whose lives we also learn about. Admittedly, Sidney and Iris do not have a very healthy relationship and often tear each other down. As much as no one shies away from honesty in this play, something that is lacking in today’s people-pleasing society, there is also not enough gentleness and understanding between some of the characters, which in turn leads to more issues.
Sidney Brustein is an unsuccessful artist, who wants to do something meaningful and firmly believes that “the world needs insults” because otherwise it would just grow in its self-righteousness and go off the rails. Max Rosenak, as Sidney, plays the part well, ironically pompous and idealistic, as he believes only in his own perception of the world and wants everyone to live committed political lives.
His counterpart, his wife Iris, played by Caitlin Duffy, in an overly dramatic performance, brings an Iris that is deeply feeling and more accepting of the world. We see her story more clearly than anyone else’s, given her own recounting of her childhood, and the fact both her sisters are present in the play.
Iris’ sisters, Mavis and Gloria, are played by Alexandra Tavares and Francesca Root-Dodson, while Mavis is conservative and craves familial stability, Gloria does what she needs to survive and makes a living through sex work, even if it damages her. Their (imagined offstage) dynamic (considering they never interact on stage) and contrast bring a curious quality to the production that adds an additional depth showcasing how deeply different people can perceive the world or make their place in it – even those with the same upbringing.
On the other hand, the Brusteins’ social circle is completed by Alton, Max, Wally O’Hara and David, who bring in their own ideas on politics, race, and art. Alton, played by Chip Sherman, is striking and emotional in his performance as he fights for his place as a black man, who also happens to pass for white, and as he professes his love for Gloria.
Holiday plays both Max, the Brusteins’ artistic friend, and O’Hara, an eloquent politician who intends to fight for the community. Finally, David is a homosexual playwright who lives upstairs and whose presence on stage is refreshing. All of them have good interpersonal dynamics that bring about a well-rounded production.
I think what this production is missing – other than a few corrections in their sensitivity clause – is some tenderness within and between the characters. Their compassion is reserved for humanity in the abstract and not for individuals. As passionate as all characters appear, there is too much judgment going on, for any of the characters to reveal themselves. This is ironic considering the message of the play is: “to be all of [them]selves”.
As socially and politically aware as this play tries to be, I believe there are two major oversights in their program. First, there needed to be a trigger warning for certain mental health-related scenes but there wasn’t one. Specifically, a scene dealt with a character ending their own life, and other moments alluded to violence against sex workers. There was also a mention of the N-word by a white character that felt unnecessary because it was out of place in an argument between two white people about their marital issues (there were several gasps from the audience). The gratuitous use of slurs can be hurtful to many different communities.
It’s complicated to give an overall rating to this play for obvious reasons. The play itself is well done and will work for an audience strongly passionate about politics and their influence in everyday lives, but I don’t want to overlook insensitivity. I would recommend for Intiman Theatre and the William Project warn prospective patrons about trigger issues in this live performance.
The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window | Erickson Theatre, 1524 Harvard Ave, Seattle | February 7 – 25.
Tickets: Buy: THE SIGN IN SIDNEY BRUSTEIN’S WINDOW (salesforce-sites.com)