Blackbird - A Soaring Success

Please note this performance of Blackbird occurred during the show's previews, and changes to the show may be made ahead of its official opening night.

Fun Fact: A screenplay adaption has been created by David Harrower (playwright), titled Una. The film will be released on the festival circuit this year and stars Rooney Mara and Ben Mendelsohn.

Target Audience: Mothers take your sons; fathers take your daughters but most importantly bring this conversation into your home.

Feel-o-meter: Incredibly intrigued by the complexities of love, urges, social norms and the road to redemption.

Stand-out actor: Michelle Williams and Jeff Daniels are the driving force and present award worthy performances.

Verdict: A heart wrenching performance you must see.

I am sure car enthusiasts get a thrill as they sit behind the wheel of a supercar knowing that the transitions between gears, the control, and fluidity is undeniably better than the lesser vehicles on the road. In fact, for most supercars just the name stirs up excitement. I know nothing about cars but, as an actress, I can relate to the enthusiasm of seeing two great actors performing in a play. Blackbird, starring Michelle Williams (Una) and Jeff Daniels (Ray) is my black Lamborghini - with beige leather seats. Williams and Daniels demonstrate effortless transitions and flawless rhythm throughout. Their effect on one another is evident moment to moment, and they relive memories with such truth as we embark on this disturbing journey. As each character goes down memory lane I was transported, and the script is written so well that you see and feel their past from both perspectives, surmising who exactly was in control.

Una has the physique of a fragile bird yet portrays the spirit of a warrior. She awkwardly moves around the stage in heels looking much like a child playing dress up and the inconsistency in her voice is a smart choice by Williams who wisely portrays this lost child trapped in an adult body. Daniels' performance is equally crafted, and though he is the villain, manages to harness such a tenderness to Ray that we are drawn to him despite ourselves.

As Una and Ray sit in a break room trying to solve the horrors of their past, the room starts to feel smaller and smaller, it is claustrophobic and the furniture is as fragile as their spirits. The bleak room with its grey walls, mismatched plastic chairs, and a foldup table indicate Ray's mediocre life and creates a clinical setting for the conversation that ensues. Scott Pask's scenic design may look stark but the symbolism is apparent.

Joe Mantello (Director) has fuelled Blackbird with clever intricacies from scene to scene as unspeakable urges are revealed and Una and Ray crumble. David Harrower (playwright) shines a light on a very dark truth, beautifully. The script is powerful and the actors give it every bit of energy it deserves.

Harrower, a world renowned playwright, first presented Blackbird in 2005 at the Edinburgh International Festival, it then transferred to the West End and won the Olivier Award for Best New Play. The Scottish author was inspired to write this 90 minute one act play based on the crimes in part by Toby Studebaker. The writing is astounding and I thought the use of trash to highlight the mess these two are in was brilliant. The characters have been boxed in, figuratively and literally and while we continue to learn about the complexities of love Harrower has given a voice to a theme that is timeless, and a voice to so many who have been silenced in the quiet of the night.

Despite the emotional intensity of the play leaving me feeling like I had been flattened by a six-foot truck, it was worth every minute and left me sitting in my seat having to take a few deep breaths and comprehend the weight Blackbird bears, and how responsibly it was delivered.

Reviewed by Nicola Quinn

Saturday 6th February 2016
Belasco Theatre, New York City
Find me on Twitter: @newyorktheatre

View our show pages for more information about Blackbird, Belasco Theater.