An Octoroon
| An Octoroon | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Branden Jacobs-Jenkins |
| Date premiered | 23 April 2014 |
| Place premiered |
Soho Rep New York City, New York, United States |
| Original language | English |
| Genre | Melodrama |
| Setting | A black box, and Louisiana |
An Octoroon is a play written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. It is an adaptation of Dion Boucicault's The Octoroon, which premiered in 1859. Jacobs-Jenkins reframes Boucicault's play using its original characters and plot, speaking much of Boucicault's dialogue, and critiques its portrayal of race using Brechtian elements. Jacobs-Jenkins considers An Octoroon and his other works Appropriate and Neighbors linked in the exploration of theatre, genre, and how theatre interacts with questions of identity, along with how these questions (such as "Why do we think of a social issue as something that can be solved?") transform as a part of life.
Jacobs-Jenkins recommends the play be performed with 8 or 9 actors, with male characters played using blackface/whiteface/redface, and female characters portrayed by actresses that match the characters' race.
The play begins with BJJ, in a black box telling the audience a conversation he and his therapist had, to get him excited about playwriting and to overcome depression. BJJ is focused on a play, The Octoroon, but runs into issues staging it because the white actors quit, so he applies whiteface in order to play them himself. Playwright taunts BJJ, and laments how theatre has changed since his death. Then Playwright and Assistant put on redface and blackface paint.
At the Plantation Terrebonne in Louisiana, Dido and Minnie chat about the arrival of George, and the passing of his uncle, their previous master. Pete, George, and Dora acquaint themselves when Zoe enters to meet George. M’Closky announces that Terrebonne is for sale and plots to steal Zoe; because she is an octoroon, she is a piece of property and therefore a part of the estate.
George photographs Dora with his camera while she and Zoe plot to make George marry her. Pete sends Paul to go find a letter that would promise enough money to save Terrebonne. Zoe and George are alone, and George confesses his love for her. Paul—with the mailbags—stops to take a photo of himself with George’s camera. While posing, M’Closky comes from behind and kills Paul to take the letter.
Minnie and Dido realize all the other slaves ran away. Lafouche comes to run the auction of the property and announces Zoe will be sold. George proposes to Dora, but Zoe confesses their love, which turns off Dora. The auction begins and M’Closky aggressively bids on Zoe, winning her.
BJJ stops the action of the play. BJJ, Playwright, and Assistant explain the significance of the fourth act, the sensation scene in melodrama. Wahnotee, accused by the members of Captain Ratts’ ship of killing Paul, is about to be lynched. George defends him and demands a fair trial, while M’Closky reluctantly takes the role of prosecution. Searching him, George finds the letter which resolves the conflict of Terrebonne's future. A plate from George camera is presented, showing both Paul sitting, and M’Closky murdering him is presented and proves M'Closky's guilt. Pete pleads for M’Closky to not be lynched, so George demands that M'Closky be taken away, not revenged by Wahnotee, but M'Closky escapes and sets fire to the boat. Wahnotee murders M’Closky. Assistant announces that the boat explodes.
...
Wikipedia