Sankofa African American Theatre Company and Theatre Harrisburg invite us to peek behind the curtains of their modiste, as well as a few boudoirs, for “Intimate Apparel,” a dramatic slow-mance by award-winning playwright Lynn Nottage, directed by Sankofa’s Executive Artistic Director Sharia Benn.
When cleaning out her grandmother’s old brownstone, Nottage found the inspiration for this play’s main character in an old family photograph pressed into a magazine. Although she knew her great-grandmother had created intimate apparel at the turn of the 20th century, for ladies ranging from wealthy socialites to prostitutes, she knew little else about her great-grandmother’s life. Playing with dynamics of race, class, identity and love, Nottage stitches together the known pieces of family history she already knew into a beautiful patchwork quilt, creating one alternative reality about a lady Nottage would have liked to know better – an ancestor who time forgot to preserve.
We meet the lonely spinster Esther (Latreshia Lilly) in 1905 at her sewing machine. Although she stitches beautifully intricate clothing for her clients, her own clothing resembles her shapeless, old sewing bag. She won’t waste fine fabrics on herself. She stuffs all her earnings into a blanket, and dreams of someday opening a beauty parlor for women of color. Lilly delivers the audience a strong character arc, skillfully taking Esther through the hero’s journey from a no-frills woman, to shedding old baggage through a series of compromises, to finding a stronger sense of self.
Through Esther, we meet Mrs. Dickson (Leah Payne), the landlady of the rooming house who took Esther in years ago and taught her how to make a living through sewing. Payne brings us a strong-willed mother figure, a formidable character who is perhaps a little intrusive with her good intentions and advice she foists upon Esther.
Also freely dispensing advice is Mrs. Van Buren (Elizabeth Rickard), the drunken socialite client. Rickard interprets her character as a little over-the-top and condescending to Esther, likely prompted by Mrs. Van Buren’s higher class and need for attention that she’s not otherwise receiving from Mr. Van Buren.
Mrs. Van Buren helps Esther write letters to George Armstrong (Kevin Willis), a laborer in the Panama Canal who becomes Esther’s love interest. The six-month correspondence becomes a lifeline for Esther, threading gossip all the way through Act One. Willis plays a smooth operator, with sensual subtleties that enhance the slow-mantic mood and build tension.
Also bringing a sensual energy is Mayme (Amandine Pope), a high-end prostitute and an unlikely BFF to Esther. In Mayme, Pope brings us a confident and aloof character who matches Esther’s energy. Although Esther cares too much about what the ladies at church think, it’s easy to see why they’re friends.
The setting itself becomes a character in this play, with antique vignettes coming alive against a moody backdrop of hand-embroidered yards of brightly colored silks, muted brown bolts of wool, and finely knitted lace.
All that finery adds to the excitement of Esther’s visits to Mr. Marks (José Solis Corps), the Jewish fabric salesman on the Lower East side. With each piece of fabric he unfolds, he tells her a story. And with each piece, she looks at herself in the mirror, imagining herself amidst the fabric’s drape. This simple act allows Esther’s natural inner beauty to come to the surface, for perhaps the only times in her story. Esther’s visits with Mr. Marks are clearly the highlight of her routine. And because of their mutual attraction, they become the place where Esther plays with fire.
When I’m watching the romance genre “Will they, or won’t they?” I can’t help but give the characters my own advice. As I age and my hearing isn’t what it used to be, I forget that I’m not alone in my living room, and I’m probably louder than I should be. So while sitting in the audience, when I said things to myself like, “Don’t let him talk to you like that,” and the murmurs around me responded, “Mmm-hmmm,” and “I know that’s right,” I knew I was sitting with my tribe.
I tell you this bit to confess that I liked the play, BUT. Esther’s story ended in a different place from what I wanted for her. Yes, it’s Esther’s life, and I sound like Mrs. Dickson trying to make Esther’s decisions for her. But even as I sit at my computer writing this review, I’m mentally outlining my own fan fiction blog for “Intimate Apparel” where I rewrite the ending and end Esther’s story MY way.
My gripes about the ending are absolutely no reflection on the cast and crew, who showcased their talents to give us an amazing show. The story holds interest, and the actors kept good pacing throughout. Although some actors are returning Sankofa veterans, it’s worth noting that every single actor is making their Theatre Harrisburg debuts – something I didn’t know until after the proverbial curtain fell. The cast had such a strong collective dynamic, a professional poise, that I didn’t even suspect their novice status.
If you decide to move from window shopping and step over the threshold of the theater doors, ringing the bell as you come in, please be mindful of the young clientele you bring with you. Some of the undergarments and situations our characters find themselves in may be a little racy, even by today’s standards.
“Intimate Apparel” runs through June 30 at the Krevsky Center, 513 Hurlock Street, Harrisburg. For more information on show times and tickets, visit https://theatreharrisburg.com/shows/intimate-apparel/.
