REVIEW: Covenant (Theater Alliance)
Whew.
Let us rejoice in that Theater Alliance has found a new (albeit temporary) home in Southwest following their shocking eviction from the Anacostia Playhouse earlier this year. The Westerly, it’s known as, is a new development about a block from the Waterfront Metro, adjacent to a donut cafe and in an undeveloped concrete cavern (read on for why this benefits the piece). As humble as the space is, it’s home, for at least the next year as per an execution of the Mayor’s recent Pop-Up permit program. Ultimately, DC theatre will benefit from the Alliance’s continued health as a haven for Black storytelling.
So it makes sense that their inaugural production in the space is one that explores the sinister fallout of being “unwanted”, in a few different ways (but all Halloween-appropriate). Covenant, by LA-based playwright York Walker, had a stirring Off-Broadway debut to critical acclaim last Fall. The director of this production, Autumn Angelettie (what a name!), actually assisted the show at the aforementioned debut as part of Roundabout’s Directing Fellowship — it’s by our luck that she’d previously worked with Theater Alliance’s new Artistic Director Shanara Gabrielle, in turn putting her in contact with Walker.
Et voila: a hyper-local theatre that nearly was left without a space to operate in 6 months ago now gets to premiere a thrilling new work fresh from the Big Apple in a unique space that does it justice.
Book
In an unnamed small town in the South, Johnny (“Honeycomb”) returns after a multi-year absence. The former stuttery outcast has now made a name for himself as a successful Blues musician in the region, on the verge of mainstream stardom. But it’s not as if everyone is particularly happy to see him: rumors are swirling that his success is due to a mischievous pact with the Devil. This serves as the book’s narrative fulcrum: did he really? And even further: does it matter? The remaining figures: his old flame Avery, her sister Violet, their devout Mama, and family friend Ruthie, whose role I found underbaked. Most of the piece is a tug-of-war about the values of faith vs. the idea of devilish meddling, and how it impacts the relationship between the five. Interspersed between the scenes of rich dialogue are fourth-wall breaking character narrations that delve into their backgrounds, providing clarity to their behavior in the show without feeling spoonfed. There are Queer elements baked in as well, but I found them severely under-developed, reducing their impact. The conflict erupts substantially in the final third, creating pluckable tension that release waves of religious terror. Of the twists sprinkled throughout, some are easy to predict, but the final twist is executed so effortlessly that it has you rethinking every detail from the characters and their dialogue. But know this: Walker’s gothic experiment is an excellent entry to the Halloween canon. 9/10
Acting
Is Renea S. Brown the best dramatic actress in the DMV right now?
You may find yourself asking yourself this, as I did, when leaving Covenant. Fresh off a tour-de-force in Sojourners at Round House, Brown steps up to the plate as Avery, and showcases such a tremendously powerful range that it is worth the price by itself. Avery undergoes a lot of change in this piece, and the skill needed to convincingly deliver her subtle religious doubts and future spiritual conflict is intense both mentally and physically. Her no-frills ensemble chemistry boosts the profile of those around her, too: Madison Norwood’s youthfully stern Ruthie stuns, and Raven Lorraine’s explosive development as Ruthie sharply sets the right tone for the final act of the piece. Fatima Quander creates a reluctantly likeable villain as Mama, and the innocent authority posed by Isaiah Reed is a presence that lingers hauntingly. (Jordyn Taylor understudies the piece, and though I didn’t see her in this, I know she’s quite a strong performer from other local productions; I wouldn’t have minded seeing her do her thing.) 9/10
Production
Gisela Estrada’s planked staging is warm and inviting — just what the devil would want if he were to make you as unguarded as possible, I presume. In fact, much of Angelettie’s direction makes use of this dichotomy of what is seen and what isn’t. This is particularly evident in Collin K. Bills’ brooding lighting designs, which uses silhouettes in creatively frightening ways. David Lamont Wilson’s sound designs are also chilling enough on their own, but the use of the brutalistic space in The Westerly makes everything slightly echo — a surprisingly great effect, which I could see faltering on any other piece. It will remain to be seen how well Alliance can use this to their benefit in the future, but this is a great start. 8/10
Viz
The audience is introduced with a splintery set and some crooning bluegrass tunes. There’s something amiss in the air, but it’s not quite certain what. The gaps between the jagged wall boards are pitch-black, creating an excellent use of negative space that makes it appear that the stage is being swallowed into darkness. 8/10
Verdict
Covenant is an excellent thrill ride to embark on this Halloween season by merit of its book alone — but add in a top-class ensemble and bone-chilling direction, and you get a creatively terrifying experience. 34/40
