Denzel Washington's hefty second chance…
by Zakeya Monique
August Wilson’s Fences will have a revival this coming April with Denzel Washington reprising the role of T
roy Maxson. Having seen him opening night as Brutus in Julius Caesar - I must say that the excitement comes with a slight bit of anxiety. This production, directed by the marvelous Kenny Leon, marries one of the greatest playwrights with one of the greatest actors to date, but this match made in theatrical heaven may keep its audiences in purgatory.
Undeniably, Denzel Washington is a phenomenal and tremendous talent but the cross over was not that easily done for the film-bred actor. In fact, if anyone could stand in James Earl Jones' shoes it would, undoubtedly, be Denzel, but did his five year hiatus cure his theatre stage woes? Or has the 6+ films starring the great talent since his last theatre run further hinder him?
In Julius Caesar, his stances were awkward, his blocking was not fluid and his connection to the audience, solely in my opinion, was not there. I was left waiting and wanting during pinnacle scenes and for this avid theatergoer not even his star power was able to satisfy that. He appeared to be on a film set awaiting cues and his uncertainty radiated. Not marked with the best of reviews overall from audiences and critics alike, I am both proud and anxious for Denzel’s return in one of the late playwright’s most important pieces of theatrical work.
With the direction of Kenny Leon, who was able to make Sean Combs look like a seasoned theatre veteran in his Raisin in the Sun debut, and Viola Davis, who will most likely be the piece to any missing part in this production, Denzel is surely in the best of hands. There is no doubting his greatness, let’s just hope he finds the confidence and fluidity, while in the theater’s intimate setting, to carry his audience from start to finish on a journey that many have already been on. As stated in the play "Some people build fences to keep people out and other people build fences to keep people in” – let us in this time Denzel.
For information on the play and to purchase tickets visit: http://www.fencesonbroadway.com/
Previews Begin April 14, 2010
