MR. JOY

THEATER PREMIERE WITH STANDING OVATIONS

A woman, 9 characters, one outfit and an incredible intensity.

Thursday night 7 pm in the Jacky Black Lieber Gott Theater in Boston. On the stage we can see a typical house entrance in New York. The steps are full of colorful shoes in every style and numerous bouquets and grave candles. As a still life is this scene in front of us.

The spot goes on and a man opens the evening. David Dower is the director of the play and welcomed us. Also he warmly welcomes the author of the story – Daniel Beaty is sitting behind us and grinning from ear to ear. A very pleasant and cozy atmosphere is in the air with a noticeable breeze of excitement.

We are here, here and now. It starts. Music begins. Ghetto sound pushes us back in our seats. Accompanied by a series of photos from Harlem in New York – we are in. The following 89 minutes is a rollercoaster ride of emotions. Great joy, terrible fear and even grief that drives us to tears, and so much more.

During the whole play we will never see Mr. Joy. He is a Chinese shoemaker in Harlem. But we get in touch with his young shoe-loving trainee Clarissa, her grandmother and 7 other people who love him and trust in his work. All represented by Tangela Large. She gives every single character an individual presence in an unbelievable intensity. All in one outfit, which she changes minimally, in one scenery and without breaks on stage. By her play, gestures, facial expressions and the way of speaking, she manages to touch us but also to give a deep meaning to the story by Daniel Beaty.

Happy, deeply touched but also troubled by the story we go home. 89 minutes we will never forget. A production that has us absolutely inspired us and we are enthusiastic about the performance, the story, the execution and its intensity.