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A review by bookbeard
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom: A Play by August Wilson
4.0
Wilson captures the pressures of the time; on race, gender, poverty, disability, and the connection between the artist and their art.
The setting of a blues recording studio becomes a pressure cooker of all of these societal limitations on these artists. Within the musicians talking and arguing and joking, they explore the different philosophical perspectives on race. Should they work for the betterment of African Americans through education and success within the system? Or should they fight and battle to obtain that equal treatment? Who does that work for and when? Is it authentic to code switch for white authority figures, or is that a betrayal of who they are?
The play is funny and heart wrenching and powerful. Teaching this text, our students connected with the pressure, and were drawing in by the action and the characters.
An excellent play that challenges the reader. I hope to some day see a live play performance. The film was also an excellent interpretation.
The setting of a blues recording studio becomes a pressure cooker of all of these societal limitations on these artists. Within the musicians talking and arguing and joking, they explore the different philosophical perspectives on race. Should they work for the betterment of African Americans through education and success within the system? Or should they fight and battle to obtain that equal treatment? Who does that work for and when? Is it authentic to code switch for white authority figures, or is that a betrayal of who they are?
The play is funny and heart wrenching and powerful. Teaching this text, our students connected with the pressure, and were drawing in by the action and the characters.
An excellent play that challenges the reader. I hope to some day see a live play performance. The film was also an excellent interpretation.