Blackbird

Tonight, I went to see Blackbird at the Studio Theatre in DC.

So the basic story: We witness the encounter of Ray (now Peter), a man nearing 60 who has served some time but now has a mediocre management position at a very unkempt office, by Una, now around 30, a young woman we discover Ray abused when she was 12.

The show starts out intense and unfolds the layers of each character’s past, their relationship, and how it came to a crashing halt. Blackbird is raw, rough and real, from the content of the show, to the storytelling by the actors, to the corporate break-room set (complete with harsh florescent lighting).

While there were several moments where the audience is so drawn and responsive to the piece, the first I noticed seemed to set the tone for the production: I saw the show with my sister and didn’t tell her much about the show other than as the lights were dimming that it might be a bit bold. So when Una asks something along the lines of “How many other 12-year-olds have you had sex with?” (telling the audience for the first time their relationship and how young she was), I hear this low quiet “woah” from my sister.

I would recommend everyone to see it before it ends, but I realized as writing this post that we saw the closing performance. C’est la vie. Another great show at The Studio Theatre.