“Sweat” playing at Capital Repertory Theater until March 31 is a production you don’t want to miss. It has a thoughtful story and strong actors who add emotion to a situation that is relatable to all.
Simply put, it is one of the best productions to be at the local professional theater in a long time and deserves full houses.
The drama takes place mostly in 1980, with several leaps ahead to 1988. Set in Reading, Pennsylvania it deals with a group of co-workers, who are also close friends. Indeed, they are more than friends. They are allies against a corporation that will, in the dark of night, ship machinery to Mexico where they will exploit cheap labor.
This might sound like the plays of the 1930s calling out greedy corporations, inept government policies and demanding the working class fight back by supporting unions. True.
Playwright Lynn Nottage has a strong point of view on contemporary social issues and expresses them within this play. You might notice the timeline of the play equals the term of one of our country’s presidents, which not-so-incidentally, ended with the near total collapse of the economy.
However, what makes “Sweat” so compelling is while the playwright is preaching about the lack of power of the working class, she doesn’t write a preachy play. “Sweat succeeds because it is a very personal play.
It’s also a big play, with big ideas, but you will leave the theater thinking about the individuals who form a community within Howard’s Bar. The one thing they have in common is the factory. It not only feeds them economically, but also unites them socially.
Over a period of eight years, as the town’s economy withers, you meet people who bond like family and have dreams for their children. Without income or the dignity of work, they turn bitter and decay.
The performances in this production are worthy of the material. This is an amazing display of ensemble acting, with everyone getting a moment, or moments, to shine.
The play uses nine characters and eight of them have their personal stories told, brilliantly. If there is a quibble with the material, it is that in act one the playwright gives each character an in-depth monologue so that we fully understand them. Though beneficial overall, it can slow down the pace of the play.
The central figures are Tracey and Cynthi. Both are independent females, who live single lives. As Cynthi, Inga Ballard breaks your heart showing the pain of a woman who finds herself in a bind. She gets a promotion which puts an African-American woman in a position of power which challenges her relationship with those she worked with as a laborer. Ballard is wonderful as she tries to cope with a can’t-win situation, a drug addicted husband and the loss of her best friends.
Tracey is an agitator. LeeAnne Hutchison plays her filled with righteous anger with an outspoken way of talking. Indeed, her strident stance towards authority triggers most of the plays conflict. Hutchison is able to balance Tracey’s feistiness with a sense of caring that makes the woman’s behavior understandable. She makes you understand being on the right side of history can come with a cost.
In a mirror relationship, their 20-something old sons are also best friends. Nottage use both men to show the consequences of bad behavior that stems from anger, fear and frustration, More important than who they are in 1980 is who they become in 1988. David Gow as Jason and Jovan Davis as Chris are excellent as symbols of the American Dream lost.
Arguably, the most important figure in the work is Stan, the bartender, who used to work at the factory before being injured because of unsafe conditions. He is a paternal presence, the voice of reason and the play’s most tragic figure. In a marvelously understated performance Michael Pemberton makes Stan the heart of the play.
In less prominent roles. Kathleen Carey, as Jesse, the friend of Cynthi and Tracey uses her limited stage time to gather sympathy for a woman who has given up on life. She has a terrific moment of reflection that wins our compassion for her sad past.
As Cynthi’s husband Bruce, William Oliver Watkins creates an effective portrait of a man who has destroyed his life. Though a negative presence Watkins forces you to understand the man’s inner decency.
Last, but far from least, is John Martinez Soliz who plays the Colombian-American who is masterful at being invisible while making his presence felt in every scene he is in. Plus, when he becomes visible it is done with compassion.
The work is directed by Margaret E. Hall, who achieves what every good director should aspire to. She helms a near perfect production without leaving a fingerprint to be seen.
In “Sweat” the scene transitions are very important. Kudos to the lighting, sound designers and stage crew.
“Sweat” is a play you will savor and long remember. It continues at the Rep through March 31, in downtown Albany. For tickets and schedule information go to attherep.org or call 518-3466204.
Bob Goepfert is theater reviewer for the Troy Record.
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