Dutchman
by Amiri Baraka
Directed by Cameron Jamarr, Eileen Engel, Bradford Lewis Rolen, and Zahria Moore
Soul Siren Playhouse
February 1, 2024
Cameron Jamarr, Eileen Engel
Photo by Zak Littrell
Soul Siren Playhouse
A new theatre company is staging an production of a celebrated 1964 play at one of St. Louis’s newest venues, and the energy on stage is palpable. Artistic director Cameron Jamarr, who also stars in the production of Amiri Baraka’s Dutchman, is bringing the long-planned Soul Siren Playhouse to life at Greenfinch Theatre & Dive. With a great cast and impressive production values, the show fits into its venue well and brings a challenging story and themes to St. Louis in a compelling and memorable way.
The play is billed as something of an “Adam and Eve” story, while also embodying playwright Amiri Baraka’s political philosophies calling out white supremacy as well as challenging the non-violence of the Civil Rights Movement. Clay (Jamarr) is a young Black man, a passenger on a subway car, minding his own business until he encounters Lula (Eileen Engel), a white woman who at first appears to be something of a standard “temptress” type, trying to get Clay to bring her to the party he’s going to, and then up to her place later. It doesn’t take long, though, for Lula’s motives to become more clearly menacing, as she insists she knows Clay’s “type” and starts spouting offensive accusations and terminology, while apparently trying to simultaneously seduce Clay and belittle him. As a third passenger, a drunk man (Jeremy Thomas), appears on the train car, the adversarial “dance” between Lula and Clay continues, even though Clay gets increasingly uncomfortable until an explosive conclusion that is shocking in one sense, although there’s also the sense that it should have been expected all along. There’s not much else I can say without spoiling, but there’s a lot here to think about, and a powerful emotional impact that lingers after the show’s fairly short running time is done.
The four directors–Jamarr, Engel, Bradford Lewis Rolen, and Zahria Moore–have done an excellent job of staging a highly emotional, though-provoking work, with a lot of dynamic interaction and first-rate performances by the cast. Jamarr and Engel are at the center of the production, which also features Bryant and Donald Kidd alternating a “Young Man” who appears later in the play, and Thomas in a dual role as the drunk man and train conductor. It’s Jamarr and Engel who bring most of the drama, with terrific performances from each, and palpable adversarial chemistry along with hints of attraction, especially at first. Jamarr does a convincing job of playing the suspicious but curious Clay who is brought into the also excellent Engel’s scheming trap. Engel, for her part, is fantastic at gradually displaying the darker levels of Lula’s character. While her character is never likable, she seems less extreme at first than she eventually reveals herself to be. There’s a sort of “dance” that plays out between the two characters that is staged with remarkably effective energy and emotion.
Visually, the show works well in the space as well as credibly portraying the somewhat grimy subway car setting, designed by Rolen. There’s also excellent work from sound and wig designer De’Janna Scales-Hand and lighting designer Lenny Banks. The “dive bar” setting at Greenfinch with its versatile and somewhat unpolished theatre space works especially well for this production, as well, with the close proximity of the audience to the actors adding something of an immersive note to the production and adding to the overall tension and dramatic experience.
There’s a lot of challenging material here, and Soul Siren Playhouse handles it about as well as I can imagine. They also provide compelling background information on a wall in the theatre that I found especially helpful in terms of context. This is a promising new company, and I look forward to seeing more shows from them in the future.
Eileen Engel, Cameron Jamarr
Photo by Zak Littrell
Soul Siren Playhouse
Soul Siren Playhouse is presenting Dutchman at Greenfinch Theatre and Dive until February 18, 2024