An Asian Jockey in our Midst"
by Carter W. Lewis

(Opened January 31, 1996) at The Round House Theater in Silver Spring, Maryland

 

Review © by Richard Gist - special to ShireNet Communications
February 10, 1996

Carter W. Lewis' "An Asian Jockey in Our Midst" is an unusual mixture of physical and historical setting, often unfathomable characters, and dramatic styles that never quite manage to intersect effectively.

Set in California back in 1958 and in the present, this is ostensibly a drama about prejudice and race relations. The unexpected central racial conflict here, however, is between African Americans and Japanese Americans, and the playwright exposes similarities of the plight and endurance of both. If the comparisons are indeed valid, they become obscured in a chaotic structure that includes characters who suddenly transform, abrupt and often inexplicable flashbacks, and enough of the supernatural to he ighten the mystery but without enough emotional resonance.

The main characters are a middle-aged and middle-class black couple, Nathan and Alice Timmons, who are expecting their first child. They appear in a newly inaugurated Chinese restaurant which overlooks the finish line of a California racetrack. In their opening dialogue it doesn't take long for Nathan, who is a school science teacher, to reveal his hatred for the Japanese, especially one of his students -- Cody -- who turns out to be their wise-cracking waiter minutes later. If this were not implausible enough, the busboy then appears in the form of Grady, an ex-jockey who shares one of Nathan's nagging delusions of an imaginary horse. The action amounts to little more than the placing of bets on the (off-stage) races, plenty of wistful and unpleasant reminiscing, and the exposing of their individual racial animosities.

The racetrack was one of many during World War II to be used as a forced internment camp from Japanese Americans and other aliens -- a kind of temporary holding area until more permanent space, usually in the Midwest, could be found. This is certainly a ripe setting for a sensitive dramatic work, but Lewis leaves us in the lurch with the sudden transformation of the characters into a Japanese family faced with the upheaval of a move to St. Louis, and the struggles of the son (Cody now turned jockey) to have a say in his own future against the rigid strictures of the traditional Japanese head of household. This is an Act Two turn of dramatic events that is too ambiguous and tangential to the Act One foundation to work effectively, no matter how well acted it might be. And it is in the acting, not the writing, that makes this production worthy of note.

Cathy Simpson's interpretation of Alice and Junko (each of the actors plays two roles -- at least one in each act) was notable, as she glided smoothly from the entertainingly comedic opening dialogue, through the increasingly concerned and bewildered wi fe and expectant mother, to the stoic and moving Japanese victim in the closing scenes. Doug Brown as Nathan and Yoshio showed the brooding and metaphysical sides of his personality to good effect. As Grady and Cody, Richard Pilcher and J.B. Barricklo contributed adequate interpretations of roles that were written without much substance. Scot Reese's direction showed a competent flair, and Joseph B. Musumeci came up with yet another inspired Round House set. Lighting by Marienne Meadows was particularly well-designed.

Playwright Lewis has his science teacher character of Nathan refer to a theory of "chaos" in many of his speeches. Given the diffused and fragmented nature of this offering, the audience leaves the theatre asking too many questions about the play's chaos than its characters have sufficiently answered before the final curtain, despite their convincing, and at time moving, portrayals. There is no question, however, that the evening will stimulate meaningful dialogue about how people get along.


For information and reservations for any of the following shows during The Round House Theatre's 1995-96 season call (301) 933-1644. Watch for The Round House Season's 1995-96 season which includes:

  • Current - An Asian Jockey in our Midst by Carter W. Lewis

  • Opening March 27 - An Almost Holy Picture by Heather McDonald

  • Opening May 29 - The Sisterhood (translated from Moliere's "Les Femmes Savantes")