Joe Turner's Come and Gone Review (* * * * stars)

I loved the Broadway play, Joe Turner's Come and Gone, it is just one of the many stories to be told about African-Americans after slavery. It's a shame that today was the last performance in New York City. Obama just should've visited sooner. It feels like New York is going to lose a treasure that was never found by the millions visiting and living in NYC.

The story is set in a boarding house managed by a husband and wife and the few characters living in the house that make it oh so interesting. The main story line focuses on Herald Loomis a resident who is searching for his lost wife. But the star of the show is actually an eccentric old man whose name is "Bynum" and who got his name because he binds people together. He is funny and delivers a great performance. He is the glue of the whole show and just like the fairy god mother is to Cinderella. Bynum advices everyone living in the house, while trying to find his "shiny man". The message of the story is not unusual, the message is simply finding and defining yourself indendepently of others.

As you can I see I loved the play but there were a few "odd" moments. The sounds of the performance were awkward and the dramatic effects sounded as if they were right off Friday the Thirteenth of another scary movie right before the killings. Most of time I thought those evil sounding moments were inappropriate for the scene taking place. Also, after the show, my husband and I had an argument over the vegetable crop that was position at the edge of the stage. My husband thought it was the front of the place, but I thought it was the back, I guess you would have to see it to really understand. We were too high up to get the full feel and sometimes couldn't see some of the action unless we leaned forward.

Anyway, the play was good. And I hope we do get to see others many others that focus on the African-American experience. Black plays can be mainstream and relatable to all peoples.

4* stars

--Wife