Katori Hall's The Mountaintop gives us two super performers, the rather real Samuel L. Jackson and the effervescent, delightful, beautiful Angela Basset. They're in a fanciful mixture of politics of the time and the life-like inner turmoil of Martin Luther King Jr. the night before he is assassinated. Bassett plays the room-service person who brings him a cup of coffee. This segues into an imaginative, fun fantasy-- a comedy framework for political ideas at a critical time and the upcoming tragedy.
Kenny Leon has directed with flair, and as there is a shift in mood and mode, he creates a terrific feat of stagecraft. Set and projections by David Gallo and Brian MacDevitt’s lighting enhance everything.
The slightly saccharine ending could be trimmed but not the final geschrei of history. This is a powerful, entertaining, well-written, well-performed play with two top-level actor/personalities who will stay with you after the curtain falls. My bet is that the flamboyant Bassett will win the Tony.
