A Raisin in the Sun was the first play in Broadway to be written by an African American woman, premiering in 1959 and starring Sidney Poitier. Sixty-five years later, it finally makes its Australian mainstage premiere, presented by Sydney Theatre Company.
Three generations of Youngers live in a cramped 2-bedroom apartment on Chicago’s gritty south side. The family matriarch, Lena (Gayle Samuels) is awaiting a cheque for $10,000, an insurance payout following the death of her husband. Each of the family members, however, have their own hopes and plans for such a large sum of money. Lena’s limo-driver son Walter Lee (a superb Bert Labonte) has plans to invest in a liquor store with two associates, while daughter Beneatha (Angela Mahlatjie) needs funds for her medical studies. Lena, however wants to upgrade their digs and get out of the rental trap, planning to purchase a house. In doing so, Lena squashes Walter Lee’s dream of self-determination and access to the middle class, while the purchase of a home in an exclusively white neighbourhood brings a new set of problems to the family.
Set entirely in their crumbling apartment over a series of days, Mel Page’s set design adds glimpses of the two bedrooms via cut-out windows, allowing the audience to peek into character’s inner worlds while the action unfolds in the common areas. The entire cast is stunning; every one a standout, and with a wonderful introduction to Samuels, arriving from the US for the production. Wesley Enoch’s direction is heartfelt, allowing for the humour to shine through even in many of the play’s darker moments, and giving a real sense of family among the cast.
Despite the long wait, Raisin in the Sun is ever more important as now; a reflection of how far we may have come, but how much we still have left to do.
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
A Raisin in the Sun is enjoying performances at the STC’s Wharf 1 Theatre until 15th October 2022. Tickets and more details can be found HERE.
Photo Details: Jacob Warner, Zahra Newman and Bert LaBonté in Sydney Theatre Company’s A Raisin in the Sun, 2022. Credit: Joseph Mayers.
