Review: JOE TURNER'S COME AND GONE at Portland Playhouse

Portland Playhouse's latest production, August Wilson's Joe Turner's Come and Gone, offers audiences a complex meditation on identity and belonging. As the second play chronologically in Wilson's Century Cycle, this work captures a pivotal moment in African American history during the Great Migration's early days in 1911.

Set in a Pittsburgh boarding house run by the serious-minded Seth Holly (Bobby Bermea) and his wife Bertha (Ramona Lisa Alexander, last seen in the Playhouse’s previous production, Notes From the Field), the play, directed by Lou Bellamy, serves as a temporary crossroads for souls in transition.

The production's anchor is Lester Purry's wonderful portrayal of Bynum Walker, a "conjure man" who possesses both spiritual insight and self-awareness that eludes the other characters. As the boarding house's resident mystic, Purry embodies Bynum's conviction that each person has their own unique "song" they must discover to find peace and fulfillment.

The household's delicate ecosystem includes the ambitious young road builder / guitarist Jeremy Furlow (Xzavier Beacham), the heartbroken Mattie Campbell (Ashlee Radney) seeking supernatural intervention, and the transient Molly Cunningham (Tessa May). This temporary community is dramatically disrupted by the arrival of Herald Loomis (La'Tevin Alexander), a tormented man searching for his wife after being illegally enslaved for seven years, who arrives with his daughter Zonia (a role shared by Ellis-Blake Hale & Nia Scott).

Alexander's Loomis vibrates with barely contained rage and profound spiritual dislocation. His performance captures a man who, in Bynum's words, "has lost his song" – a powerful metaphor for the cultural and personal disorientation experienced by many African Americans in post-slavery America. Loomis must grapple with the torment of his past so that he can find his song again and have any chance of a future.

Hopefully it goes without saying that anytime Wilson’s work is on, it’s worth seeing. As with all of his plays, this one is infused with not just cultural and historical import but also poetic beauty. Plus there is considerable talent on Portland Playhouse’s small stage.

In addition, this production arrives at a challenging moment for the arts. Portland Playhouse recently lost $25,000 in federal funding for this very show because it supposedly doesn't "reflect the nation's rich artistic heritage and creativity as prioritized by the President" – a particularly ironic claim given that Wilson's Century Cycle stands as one of the most significant contributions to American theatrical heritage. The Playhouse successfully raised replacement funds and has launched a larger $590,000 campaign to support arts organizations across Oregon affected by similar funding cuts.

Perhaps the most encouraging sign was the packed house on the night I went – a testament to the community's recognition of Wilson's importance and the Playhouse's commitment to presenting his work.

Joe Turner's Come and Gone runs through June 8. Details and tickets here.

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