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A Big Blue Nail
By Carlyle Brown
Directed by Loy Arcenas
At Victory Gardens Biograph Theatre
2433 N. Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, IL
Call 773-871-3000, tickets $20 - $45
Tuesdays thru Thursdays at 7:30 pm
Special Wednesday matinees at 2 pm on Feb. 20 & 27
Fridays at 8 pm
Saturdays at 5 & 8:30 pm
Sundays at 3 pm
Running time is 2 hours with intermission
Through March 2, 2008
Stylized dream oriented tale of adventure compelling
Playwright Carlyle Brown’s world premiere, A Big Blue Nail, is the tale of two explorer adventures Admiral Robert Peary (Larry Neumann, Jr.) and his aid/companion Matthew Henson (Anthony Fleming, III) as they strive to be the first to step foot on the North Pole. Playwright Carlyle Brown set his drama in a series of 20 scenes that shift between the past, the present and the chaotic world of ice and snow on the Polar Sea. The early scenes show Commander Peary years after his fateful trip to the North Pole as his African-American aid Matthew Henson visits after years of estrangement.
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After several dreamlike scenes that show Peary hallucinating about his troubled past, we see a naked woman, The Future (Bethanny Alexander) seducing the haggard, guilt-ridden Peary. A chorus of Inuit natives and a young teen, Tupi (Scott Baity, Jr.) entice, cajole, warn and aid Peary on his quest to conquer the Polar ice cap. The shifts from present dreams to the past and back, offer stylized theatrical scenes that are artful. The early dreams vividly depict strange encounters. These vignettes are a tad confusing and do little to further the action.
It takes well into act two for the story to focus on the relationship between Peary and Henson. Peary comes across as a crass, nasty almost obsessed leader. He takes the devoted and talented explorer Henson for granted. While he admires Henson, Peary’s ego and his inherent racism doesn’t allow him to treat Henson as an equal. We see how Henson’s drive, skills and leadership ability are essential to the success of the exploration. We also see that Peary doesn’t give Henson credit for reaching the North Pole before Peary. History didn’t give Henson the credit he deserved until 1945. Henson’s visit to the sickly Peary was to find out—once and for all times--if Henson indeed stood on the site of the North Pole. The guilt-ridden Peary falls sick before he answers Henson.
The play could use some tightening and a clear through story line. The work of Larry Neumann, Jr. playing Peary’s nasty side worked. Anthony Fleming, III did fine work with his under written role. This show has enough moments to be worth seeing. I’d clarify the action in act one and develop the Henson character more.
Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date reviewed: February 4, 2008
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