There’s no doubt that we fell in love with Phylicia Rashad when she played Clair Huxtable in “The Cosby Show”. She brought style, grace and dignity to the role of wife, mother and professional while making us all laugh. And for that alone we will always heart her. But since then, the actress has inhabited a handful of characters who in one way or another can still be associated with the dignified mother figure. Well if you see Phylicia in her latest role as Violet Weston in Tracey Lett’s “August Osage County” you’ll quickly realize that she’s not playing any version of a mother you’d imagine. Her cussing off screen at the top of the first scene may offer a hint. And that’s light stuff compared to the rest of the play. All I can say is that this change is a breath of fresh air—it’s totally refreshing. And I for one, heart her even more.
Phylicia is playing a pill-popping, shoot from the hip, potty-mouthed mess who is suffering from cancer and also is the matriarch of one of the most dysfunctional families on the Plains. She makes mincemeat of her adversaries, I mean family members, by eviserating them with her words and her own brand of the truth. Oh and did I mention that family is white?
So I have got to say that this is a real gutsy move to take on this role. (The actress who originated the role in both the Chicago and Broadway productions, Deanna Dunagan, took home a Tony for her efforts and she was replaced by Academy Award winner Estelle Parsons). But the standing ovation at curtain call proves that the gamble has paid off.
The show is long (over 3 hours) but time will fly by because although the subject matter is quite intense (suicide, addiction, molestation, adultery and hints of incest) it still inspires a whole lot of laughter. But this is not one of those sit around and talk at the table plays, Phylicia’s got to climb stairs, fight (yes physically) and scream at folks (a lot). So it is also a good thing that she slimmed down with that Jenny Craig program.
Anyway, one of the reasons I think that she works in this role is because the story is essentially about the inner workings of a family as they uncover their secrets and hidden demons. So although I was looking at a black woman play this role it was almost beside the point. And it is different from say when she part of the all black production of “Cat On A Hot Tin Roof” last year. In that case, it is okay to see the characters as black and the director can employ subtle nuances that tweak the production slightly. (Incidentally Phylicia Rashad and James Earl Jones will a reprise their roles in a London production this December with Sanaa Lathan and Adrian Lester as Maggie and Brick).
While Broadway has tried non-traditional or color-blind casting in a few instances lately—Morgan Freeman in “The Country Girl” and S. Epatha Merkerson in “Come Back Little Sheba—they’ve experienced fair to middling success. But after Phylicia completes her run in “August Osage County” I think directors will start considering it more often.
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