…what the end will be
Several themes vie for attention in this lurching play: the right to die; generational communication difficulties; gender confusion; and, bias. Throw in a dash of magical realism and Mansa Ra’s play becomes a piece with crises of coherence and credibility.
Maxwell Kennedy (Emerson Brooks), a Black type A businessman who came out after marriage and a child (he’s divorced), his son Tony (naturalistic Gerald Caesar), a sweet 18 year-old jock, and Max’s White husband Charles (the convincing Randy Harrison), a voice of sensitivity and reason, live together in what appears to be a state of constant volatility. Tony confides in Charles, not his father. Max is so selfish and unlikable, when he presumably makes changes, we’re suspicious.
Max’s gay father, Bartholomew (Keith Randolph Smith), who came out into a loving relationship after being widowed, moves in (his lover is dead) with a wheelchair, a complicated medication schedule and stage four bone cancer. He’s obstreperous, but downplays pain level, secretly waiting to hear about a possible resolution.
Keith Randolph Smith (Bartholomew Kennedy), Tiffany Villarin (Chloe) Emerson Brooks (Max Kennedy), Randy Harrison (Charles)
Generationally, we have Kennedy Sr. who hid his sexual proclivity and butch Max, who appears to be living out loud until we learn he introduces Charles his workout partner. Compounding discomfort with his own identity, Max has an outraged reaction to discovering Tony is gay. “You need to be careful who you associate with!” It’s inconceivable he didn’t know.
Other characters include calm, supportive health aide, Chloe (a thoroughly believable Tiffany Villarin), and Antoine (Ryan Jamaal Swain- excellent characterization), a friend of Tony’s from whom the family gleans the youngest Kennedy’s choices.
There you have it. Secrets, insecurities and prejudices rule until the end.
Director Margot Bordelon doesn’t ask enough of her actors. A physical altercation reads fake. Extreme emotion seems like posing.
Grandpa refers to Max’s upscale home in the kind of upscale tacky community where three Real Housewives of Atlanta live as “Afrocentric.” It tries a bit too hard. One assumes this is an intentional take by designer Reid Thompson.
Costumes by Emilio Sosa epitomize each character with special imagination on Antoine.
Photos by Joan Marcus
Opening left to right: Keith Randolph Smith (Bartholomew Kennedy), Tiffany Villarin (Chloe), Gerald Caesar (Tony), Randy Harrison (Charles), Emerson Brooks (Max Kennedy)
Roundabout Theatre Company presents
…what the end will be by Mansa Ra
Directed by Margot Bordelon
Laura Pels Theatre=Harold and Miriam Steinberg Centre for Theatre
111 West 46th Street
