Ellington

Lynn Nottage's "Fabulation or The Re-Education of Undine" is a dark comedy about an African American businesswoman, Undine, who falls from the New York City high life back to Brooklyn and the family she has tried to forget.

The plot isn't new: A woman who is successful in life, but empty in spirit, gets mixed up with the wrong man and hits rock bottom. She learns her lesson, and all ends well. But just because you have a map doesn't mean you know the sights you'll see along the way.

"Fabulation" delivers in other ways. One is the brutally honest treatment of the subject matter. In the first 30 seconds, a character regales her support group with stories of her intense cocaine cravings. Within the first 10 minutes, the play references pornography, prescription drug abuse and abortion. But never at any point does it feel offensive. Instead, it portrays life: gritty, imperfect life.

Getting used to the rough edges was difficult, says Caieydhii Ball, who plays Undine, but the subject matter and language was never foreign or gratuitous. "Everything is authentic," she says. "Everything has a purpose."

"Fabulation" also provides a good script for a racially diverse cast.

"Students were frustrated with the limitations to casting (in previous productions)," says Krystal Frazier, making her theatrical debut as the mother and caseworker. "Not that I didn't feel welcome; there just aren't that many black roles."

"Fabulation" focuses on a specific demographic while creating universal appeal.

"It doesn't matter what race, gender or religion you are; everyone can relate," Ball says. "Everyone goes through a life change at some point."

Finally, "Fabulation" is doggone funny. It is, after all, a comedy, despite its heavy subjects. Comedy provides a safe medium for addressing sensitive issues, allowing actors easy access to issues not easy to discuss.

Undine's story isn't the most original, but as a modern fable, it doesn't have to be. The impact of her story is in her journey. Viewers will see the play's success in how they see themselves in Undine's mistakes and victories.

See "Fabulation" March 4-6 at 7:30 p.m. and March 7 at 2 p.m. at the Christian Center Auditorium at Millsaps College. Tickets are $10; $5 for students and seniors. Call 601-974-1000.

Previous Comments

ID

156552

Comment

Why did there need to be "black roles" for students to be cast? Why was the only production available with significant so-called "black" roles one in which the lead character fails in business (shades of Good Times), is unlucky in personal affairs, speaks of cocaine cravings and references pornography, prescription drug abuse and abortion? Do the playwrights annotate the characters by defining their race or is this done by the faculty adviser? Why not just give the roles to the most qualified student/actor unless, of course, the implication is that the black student/actors are not as qualified as "all" of the white student/actors.

Author

catoninetails

Date

2010-03-05T17:25:30-06:00