On Saturday, I had the honor of watching Antoinette Chinonye Nwandu’s play “Pass Over” currently playing on Broadway at the August Wilson theatre. The play has clear influences of theater of the absurd and I found it an effective way to send a message.
The set is quite sparse. It involves a street lamp, a trash can and other various items, but a surprise is revealed at the end making it a stunning finish.
The play consists of three characters. Our protagonists Moses (Jon Michael Hill) and Kitch (Namir Smallwood) live on this street corner and they find ways to pass the time. Their lives are unexpectedly thrown for a loop when a stranger (Gabriel Ebert) stumbles into the street corner. At first it seems that everything will be okay, but happy moods turn sour quickly.
All three actors are outstanding. They all handle the absurdity with ease making it look natural.
The play is directed by Danya Taymor. She finds a way to heighten each of the moods to the extreme so that a clear shift is apparent any time it changes.
The lighting is subtle. You really have to look in order to notice that the street light has changed color. Lighting and sound come together most effectively to create a tense mood whenever Moses and Kitch sense danger.
If you have a chance to see this production, I say take it! It was a wonderful show to mark my personal return to Broadway in more than a year. The show is timely, but filled with fun, quirky moments.
The show is currently in previews and will only run until October 10.
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