Reviewed by Tony Annicone
Trinity Rep’s 2nd show of 2024 continues the celebration of their 60th anniversary season with “Fences,” one of August Wilson’s most famous plays. This show won a Pulitzer Prize in 1987. In segregated Pittsburgh back in 1957, former Negro baseball player Troy Maxon is barely making ends meet as a sanitation worker. He was once a famous and prodigious ball player and was impressive in his community, but now only seems to control his wife and two sons. The show takes place in front of Troy’s house, which has an incomplete fence. Troy’s yearning to protect his family from outside oppression becomes warped with his stubbornness and pride. Wilson’s play shows the devastating results of Troy’s deteriorating relationship with his family members in an emotional roller coaster of emotions and feelings that captures the audience’s attention from start to finish. It examines the tensions between Troy and his wife, brother, and sons. The show’s title refers to the fence that Troy is building around his property and the barriers he puts up to protect himself from other people’s supposed offenses. It keeps others out but also keeps him shut inside. Director Christopher Windom casts this show wonderfully and elicits strong performances from all of them. The second act’s dramatic power and punch are outstanding. August Wilson’s character of Troy Maxon is reminiscent of Willy Loman, with his tragic flaws ruining his relationships with other people, including his family members.
Christopher is aided in his task by set designer Lex Liang, costume designer Kenisha Kelly, lighting designer Marika Kent, and sound designer and music Elton Bradman. Christopher’s blocking of each scene is terrific, and so is the fight choreography by Mark A. Rose. Troy has a strong personality that overpowers his relationships with his friends by constantly referring to them in a derogatory manner. He strong-arms his son, Cory, out of a football scholarship because he’s jealous of his success at sports, which Troy was unable to obtain. He is a chauvinistic cad to his wife by declaring that his happiness is of the utmost importance and that he cares little about her happiness. His relationship with his other son, Lyons, consists mainly of lending him money and paying him back. His brain-damaged brother Gabe’s disability money helps pay for Troy’s house, but he resents it at the same time. Even with all these flaws, can the Maxon family feel happiness and/or acceptance? Kelvin Roston Jr. brings great depth to the role of Troy. He is dynamic in the role of a man who is difficult to admire by the audience for his bad behavior. However, the audience appreciates the dramatic impact of him. No matter how unjust, his anger is portrayed realistically to the crowd. Kelvin delivers a stunning debut performance at Trinity Rep.
The heart and soul of this show is Troy’s wife, Rose, who tries to stand by his side during all these trials and tribulations, but there is one that sets her into a tailspin, and she gives him a piece of her mind on their relationship from then on. Jackie Davis shines as Rose, the long-suffering wife. Troy also neglects his wife of eighteen years. She has stood by him through thick and thin, but her patience with him has run out. Rose lets Troy know how she feels about how things have been and finally tells him to shut up about his baseball analogies. Jackie delivers the goods by standing up to the neglectful Troy and wins the audience with her powerful portrayal. She rips your heart out as Rose. Brava!
Nicholas Byer plays Cory, their son, who yearns to play football but gets no encouragement from his father. They have a demeaning argument where Cory must always address his father as sir, and Troy’s baseball stats also figure into this tense moment. The father’s jealousy of Cory ruins their relationship, and their final argument and fight are electrifying. Nicholas does a marvelous job as the tortured son who always wanted his father’s love and support. The show’s final scene is beautifully portrayed, bringing tears to the eyes of the audience.
Martinez Napoleon does a splendid job as Troy’s brother, Gabriel, who has a traumatic brain injury. His portrayal of this childlike character grabs you from his first entrance to the other moment when the character is onstage. His final scene, when he calls on St. Peter for enlightenment on a tragic event, brings the show to a heartwarming conclusion. Other cast members include Dereks Thomas as Troy’s co-worker and drinking buddy, Jim Bono, Rodney Witherspoon as Lyons, Troy’s other son who is a musician, and Raynell, a little girl who appears in the final scene, Felese Kparyea and Blair Pierre who share the role. So, for an electrifying dramatic show with humor sprinkled throughout it, catch “Fences” at Trinity Repertory Company. The show was first performed here back in 1992. For tickets, go to their website, trinityrep.com. “Fences” is the must-see show of this spring season. Tell them Tony sent you. Trinity Rep: https://www.trinityrep.com/show/august-wilsons-fences/
FENCES (21 March to 28 April)
Trinity Repertory Company, 201 Washington St, Providence, RI
1(401)351-4242
