John Douglas Thompson plays Brutus Jones in Eugene O'Neills‘s "The Emperor Jones," in a production where all the pieces fit together perfectly. (Carol Rosegg)
Brutus Jones (John Douglas Thompson) is a man with a powerful mission. Arriving on a tiny Caribbean isle, he has played on the superstitious fears of the natives using lies, trickery, brute strength, and sheer intimidation to set himself up as emperor of the island (complete with a palace and throne of sorts), taking in money through taxes, tributes, and various schemes.
Ever mindful of the day he will have to make a quick getaway, Jones has put his money in a “foreign bank” where no one can touch it, as he tells a Cockney trader named Smithers (Rick Foucheux). Smithers knows the truth about Jones, but is afraid of the power Jones wields (who reportedly fled the U. S. after committing a least one murder). Because Smithers has his own series of crooked deals continually in the works, the two have formed a sort of uneasy alliance. There is no doubt which of them is in control.
However, on this particular day, Smithers has come to the palace not to mock or to bow down to the emperor, both of which he has done many times in the past, but to deliver a warning. While Jones slept, all the natives in the palace and those in the nearby villages had gone into the hills. Soon an ominous drumbeat is heard with sounds of revolution in the air.
Realizing his reign has come to an end, Jones (clad in a uniform resplendent with medals) makes plans for leave-taking. His idea is to get to the forest that borders his kingdom before the sun sets, and from there, head to the coast where a ship will pick him up.
But escape does not come that easy. Once he reaches the forest, Jones quickly becomes lost in its tangled growth. He also soon finds himself beset by demons disguised as memories and fears (or are they fears and memories disguised as demons?) forcing him to relive pivotal moments in his life.
The play is a both a devastating journey into one man's tortured soul, as well as a grim lesson on what happens to those who would take what does not belong to them—be it money, trust, or another person's life.
Brutus Jones (John Douglas Thompson) cannot escape his crimes, which end up tormenting him to the edge of sanity in Eugene O'Neills‘s "The Emperor Jones." (Carol Rosegg)
However, trapped in the forest with trees that seem to be alive as they bar his way, with animals and figures conjured up from the depths of his deepest fears (via excellent use of puppets and masks), he slowly shrinks in stature, eventually begging God for forgiveness and help. (A macabre slave auction with Jones as the object of purchase is particularly eerie and fascinating to watch.) All the while the drumbeats of his pursuers get ever louder as the six shots he carries in his pistol are used up one by one.
Great credit must go to Ciaran O'Reilly's direction, keeping the action continually fluid with Jones beset by one situation after another. A nice touch was to have Jones slowly divest himself of his emperor accoutrements (jacket, rings, and so on), in the end becoming little more than a frightened, ignorant soul in a world he cannot control—much like the situation his ancestors found themselves in when they were first brought to America.
Just as important is Barry McNabb's excellent choreography, ranging from Jones's battles with the trees, to a spellbinding encounter with a witch doctor (with a superb performance by Sinclair Mitchell in the latter role), all telling a story of another place and time, and placing the audience right in the middle of the action.
The original music and sound design by Ryan Rumery and Christian Fredrickson are wonderful, as are the sets by Charles Corcoran, which make terrific use of the relatively small playing space. Lighting by Brian Nason and costumes by Antonia Ford-Roberts also work well. In fact, all of the various technical elements come together perfectly.
“The Emperor Jones” is an intimate and powerful tale of one man's desperate attempt to escape his past, and a show that works on every level, proving in the end that man, despite all his accomplishment and abilities (no matter the time period), is in reality not that far removed from his ancestral roots—roots that bind and can pull you down no matter how fast you run.
Also in the cast and all brilliant in their roles are Sameerah Harris, Michael Akil Davis, and David Heron.
The Emperor Jones
The Irish Repertory Theatre
132 West 22nd Street
Tickets: 212-727-2737 or www.irishrep.org
Running Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Closes: Dec. 6
Judd Hollander is the New York correspondent for the London publication The Stage.
