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BWW Review: BLACK ODYSSEY is a Celebration of Music, Love and Loss
(2019)
Abstract
The Homeric epic The Odyssey, is at its core, a story of a man trying to return home after a war. BLACK ODYSSEY is much the same, but instead of Odysseus, hero of the Trojan war, we follow Ulysses Lincoln, a black man who joined the army to earn some money for his young family, but who was pulled into an unexpected war after the attacks of September 11, 2001. This retelling blends the classic story of The Odyssey with lots of music, fantastic costumes, heartbreak and laughter. Unlike the character of Odysseus, who seems most himself when he's fighting, killing or talking his way out of a situation; Ulysses Lincoln is a man who wants to go home, but who is also feels unworthy because of things he did during the war. He's a much more human character, played with perfect humility and inner turmoil by Joe Wilson Jr. Knowledge of the original story of The Odyssey may make certain in-jokes in this play slightly funnier, but there's absolutely no need to slog through that tome before experiencing this excellent production.
Keywords
- BLACK ODYSSEY,
- Trinity Rep
Disciplines
Publication Date
January 10, 2019
Citation Information
Andria Tieman. "BWW Review: BLACK ODYSSEY is a Celebration of Music, Love and Loss" (2019) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/andria-tieman/177/