There is nothing in the dramatist’s rulebook that says a play can’t be simple and complex at the same time. Those are certainly the traits of James Ijames’ Moon Man Walk, which opened last weekend for a three-week run at River & Rail Theatre Company. Audiences that saw the 2024 R & R production of Ijames’ Pulitzer Prize winning Fat Ham can attest to the fact that the playwright can take on emotions that not only careen wildly through bold and brash characterizations, but also ones that are deceptively subtle and achingly personal.
Ijames uses but four actors in Moon Man Walk to offer up the simple premise that involves four main characters and some secondary ones. A young man, Spencer, a librarian and wannabe writer, returns to Philadelphia following the unexpected death of his mother, Esther, to deal with a funeral and settle her affairs. During the flight to Philadelphia, he meets a young woman, Petrushka, with a mostly unbelievable friendship ensuing. Flashbacks take us back to Spencer’s childhood and his relationship with his mother including her fantasy explanation of the whereabouts of Spencer’s father.
Along the way of visiting both past and present, we are confronted with Spencer’s issues of abandonment and unresolved childhood hopes and dreams. As he is preparing for the funeral, he finds in Esther’s belongings a letter that shreds the story his mother told him as a boy about the father he never met. While the play’s progress hinges on this information, the coincidence seemed a bit contrived.
Nevertheless, director Tracey Copeland-Halter and the cast have made a concerted effort to recognize and tie together the loose strands of Spencer’s existence, ultimately succeeding in making the most of the script’s admittedly shaky plot paths and character motivations. The four-member cast is truly excellent, beginning with Warren “Ren” Jackson as Spencer. Jackson’s portrait of his character is amazingly painterly, a beautifully conceived amalgam of adult awkwardness, childlike submissiveness, and humor. As Esther, Kisha Rockett nails her character’s life as a single mother, dealing with her own life choices while doing what she believes is best for Spencer. Her ability to capture a character’s essence with inflection was compelling.
Jasmine Handy was brilliant as the “girlfriend” Petrushka, giving a vibrant, sexy, and likably intriguing personality to the character, something that the playwright seemed to have struggled with pulling off.
Dann Black, obviously a master of voice characterizations, had several roles: Spencer’s father, a strangely over-the-top florist, and a Peter Lorre-esque funeral director that made more than one audience member laugh in spite of themselves.
Copeland-Halter did a remarkable job in using the minimal set pieces—white cubes and step levels manipulated and placed by the actors—that became bookshelves, airline seats, tables, and even a hi-fi stereo. On the marvelously subtle side, intriguing ambient sound effects by Jason Boardman did the job of setting the scene, often blending imperceptibly with real Old City sounds. Lighting designer Angelyn Baer accomplished the same transition of scene and emotion.
River and Rail’s Moon Man Walk is a marvelous showcase of theatre and acting. It seems appropriate, then, to say “run don’t moonwalk” to River and Rail to catch these performances. Moon Man Walk continues through Sunday, September 28, at the Old City Performing Arts Center, 111 State Street. Tickets and Information.
