‘Tallest Tree’ an enchanting theatrical climb at La Jolla Playhouse
By Charlene Baldridge | SDUN Theater Critic
Playwright and performer Daniel Beaty believes the solo form highlights the magic of storytelling. He puts his talent where his mouth is, writing and performing the new solo play “The Tallest Tree in the Forest,” continuing at La Jolla Playhouse through Nov. 3. It is a shared production with Kansas City Repertory Theatre.
Portraying civil-rights activist, singer and actor Paul Leroy Robeson, Beaty’s magic is so powerful that the mind becomes convinced there is another actor who portrays Robeson’s wife in the one-man script. Looking in the program however, the playgoer realizes her thorough enchantment with the strongest of Beaty’s additional portrayals: Robeson’s wife, Eslanda (Essie).
Daniel Beaty as Paul Leroy Robeson (Photo by Don Ipock)
Despite the character’s frequent sexual conquests (among them his “Othello” leading ladies Peggy Ashcroft in London and Uta Hagen on Broadway), Robeson and Essie’s enduring love story provides the playwright an exceptionally touching moment near the end of the play. The plot sweeps onlookers from Robeson’s childhood, through his football days and law school, into his international film and stage career as a singer and performer, to his 1950 testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee.
Robeson said: “The artist must take sides. He must choose to fight for freedom or for slavery. I have made my choice. I had no alternative.”
The choice of Beaty and director Moisés Kaufman of Tectonic Theater Project, which originally commissioned and developed the work, is to charge into Robeson’s lifelong political and social activism without flinching, knowing that his viewpoints were so controversial that the famous man became almost invisible in the history books.
Presented extensively, these activist scenes veer closely to tedium, and it is only Beaty’s prodigious talent that keeps the play from falling into the pit of preachy.
The music too, helps avoid this potential catastrophe. Beaty, who is a classically trained singer, performs some of the Robeson songs, among them “Ol’ Man River,” “Ballad for the Americans,” and the spirituals “Steal Away,” “Go Down Moses” and “Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel.” He is accompanied by music director and conductor Kenny J. Seymour on piano, John Reilly on woodwinds, and Jennifer Epler on cello.
I must admit to being conflicted over the amplification of Beaty’s voice, both spoken and sung. Granted there are those moments in big arenas where the sound should be so aggrandized, however, Beaty’s voices possess such point and buzz—the technical term is “squillo”—that amplification merely underscores the vocal production, making it fall not always euphoniously on the ear.
Robeson had a natural, unaffected bass-baritone; Beaty’s natural voice lies much higher. All this having been said, however, Beaty’s performance is so spellbinding overall that such imperfections may be overlooked.
Scenic designer Derek McLane provides an all purpose backstage area with several playing levels. It’s roughly textured, specific and cluttered, yet it provides plenty of surface area for John Narun’s effective historic projections.
Clint Ramos provides Robeson’s wardrobe, principally a three-piece suit and Othello rags. David Lander is lighting designer and Lindsay Jones, sound designer.
“The Tallest Tree in the Forest”
WHERE: La Jolla Playhouse, 2910 La Jolla Village Dr. (La Jolla)
WHEN: Tuesday and Wednesday at 7 p.m., Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m., Sunday at 2 and 7 p.m. through Nov. 3
INFO: 858-550-1010
WEB: lajollaplayhouse.org
