Billed as a "dramatic biography with music," An Interview with Paul Robeson had an impressive world premiere at Milwaukee's Next Act Theater. This play is the creation of the production's two actors, Paul A. Mabon (who plays Robeson) and John Kishline (who plays a New York Times reporter). The subject is ideally suited for drama, as the real Paul Robeson battled for racial equality in America at the same time he was in demand worldwide for concerts. Not only did Robeson conquer the stage (playing Othello on Broadway) and films (as Joe, the dock worker in the musical, Showboat), Robeson was a true Renaissance man. He excelled on the college football field and went on to Columbia Law School. Robeson broke racial barriers wherever he went, becoming the "first black this" and the "first black that." There's no question he inspired a generation and paved the way for those who followed.
The character comes abundantly to life in the Mabon's charismatic performance. Like Robeson, Mabon has a rich, bass voice. It's put to good use throughout the performance, as Mabon belts out a gospel song or something by Irving Berlin.
In Act II, when Robeson's fight against injustice reaches its peak, Mabon's booming voice and imposing physical presence have a memorable impact. One thinks of a younger James Earl Jones.
Kishline has a trickier assignment as the reporter. He must also assume the roles of others in Robeson's life (such as President Harry Truman and a senator during the Red Scare of the late 1940s.) Kishline handles his duties efficiently. His dry, cerebral approach is a nice counterpoint to Mabon's more emotional make-up as an internationally famous "artist."
The play is set in a backstage area of Carnegie Hall. Robeson is warming up for a performance that evening. He is accompanied by an onstage pianist. Then a reporter arrives to coax Robeson into telling his life story. The two men, of similar ages but vastly different backgrounds, aren't as unalike as they first seem. This notion is projected through the play's opening lines, in which the reporter briefly becomes Iago to Robeson's Othello.
Despite its clever beginning, the play rarely goes beyond the boundaries of a newspaper interview. This decision fails to deliver the impact one would have wished to see. The play would have worked better dramatically if other characters from Robeson's past had come forward in flashback sequences. Or perhaps photographs of the real Robeson could have been projected onstage (as the company did so brilliantly for last year's production of Ears on a Beatle.) Without these diversions, the show's steady question-and-answer format does grow tiresome. Luckily, Mabon's frequent vocals give a lift to the proceedings. Act I closes with a beautifully sung rendition of Robeson's most famous tune, "Old Man River," from Showboat. Another vocal highlight is "Balm in Gilead."
Director David Cecsarini allows the play to flow at a nice, seamless pace. With few set pieces, few characters and no costume changes, the play relies heavily on its lighting. Thankfully, designer Jason Fassl is more than up to the task. With a bit of reworking, An Interview with Paul Robeson could achieve greater dramatic heights than this piece delivers. There's so much here to admire, so it would certainly be worth the effort.
