**** Highly Recommended Goodman Theatre’s lyrical production of Joe Turner’s Come and Gone is a masterpiece – and a history lesson. In this play, the second in August Wilson’s Century Cycle, set in the 1910s, echoes of the Civil War overlay the ordinary difficulties of everyday life. As in most of Wilson’s Pittsburgh cycle, the characters are dealing with life the best they can – but because it’s Wilson, there’s a bit of mysticism too. Kudos to the cast, the acting is absolutely superb! 4 Spotlights
Joe Turner’s Come and Gone was first staged in 1984, It opened on Broadway in 1988, winning the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play that year. The title is a line from an old blues song, although in the story it refers to Joe Turner, the Tennessee governor’s brother, who would round up black me and force them to labor on his chain gang for seven years. The Goodman originally produced Joe turner's Come and Gone in 1990. The 2024 production is directed by Chuck Smith.
The story is set in the Holly boarding house, a ‘respectable house’ in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, run by curmudgeonly Seth Holly (Dexter Zollicoffer) and his wife, Bertha (TayLar), a nurturing soul. They charge $2.00 a week for a room which includes two meals a day. Seth earns extra money by making pots and pans which he sells to the peddler, Rutherford Selig (Gary Houston).
Bynum Walker (Tim Edward Rhoze) is a wise man known in the district for spiritualism who carries a rod which has some power. Bynum seems to have a song for every occasion, including a ditty about Joe Turner and he believes that each person’s soul has a song.
Seth is worried about another boarder, Jeremy Furlow (Anthony Fleming III), who was arrested for being drunk, which he wasn’t. In fact, he said he was arrested for no reason at all. In a conversation with Bynum, he brags that he plays a mean guitar, so Bynum convinces him to play at a local bar to earn some extra money.
A desperate young woman, Mattie Campbell (Nambi E. Kelley), asks Bynum to bind her man, who walked out on her. When Bynum says he can’t do that, Jeremy convinces her to move to the Holly boarding house so he can help her.
One day, a rough-looking man and his daughter turn up looking for a room. After seven years in Joe Turner’s chain gang, Harold Loomis (A.C. Smith) is looking for his wife who left their daughter Zonia (Kylah Renee Jones) with her mother and went north looking for work.
Although they rent him the room, Seth takes a dislike to Loomis and refuses to tell him where is wife is living. In the meantime, Loomis hires the people-finder aka the peddler, Rutherford Selig, to find his wife. Curiously enough, we first met Selig the peddler in Gem of the Ocean.
When Seth suggests a ‘juba’ - an African-style song and dance led by Bynum, all the residents participate. Just as they’re getting really into it, Loomis appears yelling for them to stop. This interruption is the last straw for Seth who tells Loomis to leave at the end of the week.
When Molly Cunningham (Krystel V. McNeil), a seductive lady with a certain reputation rents a room, all the men take notice. Out in the yard, Zonia and Reuben Mercer (Harper Anthony), the boy next door, share a kiss.
Just as Seth is turning Loomis and Zonia out, the peddler returns with Martha Loomis (Shariba Rivers). Their confrontation, the pivotal scene in the play, is emotionally fraught.
Joe Turner’s Come and Gone runs through May 19th in the Goodman Theatre’s Albert Theatre,170 N. Dearborn, Chicago. Most reasonable parking option for the Goodman is the Government Center garage on Lake between LaSalle and Dearborn, $20 online advance payment at www.interparkonline.com/goodmantheatre.
Running time is two hours, 30 minutes, with an intermission. Performances are: Wednesdays at 7:30 pm; Thursdays at 2:00 & 7:30 pm; Fridays at 7:30 pm; Saturdays at 2:00 and 7:30 pm; Sundays at 2:00 pm.
Accessible & Special Performances: ASL Interpreted Performance, Friday, May 10th at 7:30 pm; Touch Tour & Audio-Described Performance: Saturday, May 11th, 12:30 pm Touch Tour, 2:00 pm Performance; Open Captioned Performance, Sunday, May 12th at 2:00 pm; Spanish Subtitles, Saturday, May 11th at 7:30 pm.
Tickets $25-$90. FYI (312) 443-3800 or www.goodmantheatre.org/show/joe-turners-come-and-gone/