A beautiful, talkative, self-centered, upper middle class brat who isn’t quite sure of who she is, and a simple man’s man who has a dream of being a lawyer in order to give back to his people
[Theater]
Shows at the Billie Holiday Theatre are always close and intimate, and are sure to touch on issues that are hot topics for the Black community. I’m guessing that the audience was mostly from the community of Bedstuy, Brooklyn, although The Billie attracts audiences from everywhere. And I love the elderly people, because during the show they do what I am always scolded for at the movies, asking questions and talking during the show. They are so funny!
Plenty of Time is a show that takes you through decades of a relationship between two opposites. A beautiful, talkative, self-centered, upper middle class brat who isn’t quite sure of who she is, and a simple man’s man who has a dream of being a lawyer in order to give back to his people. They meet at a party, went back to her place in Martha’s Vineyard, and that’s where the story gets juicy and begins.
We see the woman go through many changes as the play progresses through time. Every new scene is a new decade, and I was especially interested in the scene depicting the 1970’s. The female character “Chris,” formerly known as “Christina” expresses a lot of sentiments of the feminist movement, and it reflects a lot of what I felt growing up about how it’s important that women are afforded the same opportunities as men to pursue a career aggressively without being demonized for it. But it’s funny, I certainly don’t feel that way anymore. Ever heard of the Law of Attraction? I don’t believe in being aggressive about anything. I just allow now. But still, seeing this woman discover her true passion, despite the facade of “female strength” that she puts up, was almost as liberating for me in my seat as the Women’s Lib movement itself. (Wild guess, I wasn’t there for the movement or anything. But I am convinced that I was partying it up with Marvin Gaye in a past life, and had him as a one night stand. It was the era of sexual freedom too!)
So, what REALLY happens when an ultra conservative chick and a fake Black Panther fall in love?
And I would say this is how the show answers that question: It’s the same thing that happens when anyone does. Now, I’m not saying that all love stories are the same, but they laughed, cried, kissed…and you’ll have to see the show to see if they had a good life together, or had to say goodbye.
Plenty of Time will be playing until Sunday, March 25 at the Billie Holiday Theatre at Restoration Plaza, 1368 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, New York 11216. For reservations call 718-636-0918/19 ex. 12 or go to www.thebillieholiday.org.
Helese Smauldon, Columnist for The Black Star Newswww.blackstarnews.com
