From the first moments of this play, audiences are captivated by a dramatic entrance and special effects in The Whipping Man, produced by the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. The choice to place Whipping Manin the Rep’s more intimate Stiemke Studio was a wise move. In its smaller space, the audience is only a few feet away from the uncomfortable and sometimes grisly events that occur onstage.
The play is set in the days immediately following the Civil War. Outside, a fierce storm pounds water on the “roof” and porch as a Confederate soldier (Josh Landay) bursts through the doors of a nearly demolished southern mansion. The man immediately collapses on the dark floor. He had hoped to return to his family, but only two freed slaves remain in the decaying household. The older one, Simon (James Craven), has enough medical knowledge to realize that his former master’s infected leg must be amputated. The younger man, John (Ro Boddie) arrives in time to assist with the horrific, crude procedure.
Director Brent Hazelton brilliantly sets up the play’s three compelling characters, demonstrating their abilities and limitations. Caleb, the soldier, believes himself to be “master” of his home. Not only have the rules changed, but Caleb is immobile from his recent surgery. We discover he also is hiding from the authorities. The other two men, now free after the Civil War ends, are also tied to the house. It turns out John has “snapped” after taking one too many whippings doled out by “the whipping man.” Simon is convinced he must wait patiently for his wife and daughter to return.
One of the play’s twists is that the three men are Jews – even the freed slaves, who were instructed by Caleb’s father. When Simon announces he is preparing a religious ceremony called a seder, it is Caleb who at first refuses to participate. After recounting some of his battlefield experiences, he wonders whether a God even exists. Urged by Simon to reconsider, he relents.
This sets up one of the play’s most intriguing scenes. With few sources of food available, the men do their best to procure alternatives for this significant ritual. John has no hesitation in “liberating” whatever is left by families who have fled the war. In addition to looting furniture, artwork and clothing, he evens uncovers a bottle of wine that is among the seder’s key ingredients.
The Whipping Man has made the rounds of many regional theaters in the past couple of years. In 2011, it had a brief, Off-Broadway run at the Manhattan Theater Club.
Before seeing the play, one would likely wonder whether a Jewish plantation owner would be kinder to his slaves. Unfortunately, this is not the case. As the play continues, Simon and John discover that their former master, Caleb’s father, is not a man to be trusted. With Caleb unable to move from the spot where his surgery was performed, the play becomes a series of conversations. Understandably, the men often speculate about the future. John, in particular, is the one least likely to survive outside the household. This is a shame. He has demonstrated skills that suggest he could have become a doctor or a theologian.
Caleb, a confessed deserter, doesn’t see much of a future for himself, either. Only Simon finds the strength to go beyond the house that has sheltered all three of them for so many years.
The three actors give riveting performances: Josh Landay as Caleb, the soldier who fled from the ravages of war; Ro Boddie as John, an irreverent, unrepentant young man who has the stripes on his back to prove it; and James Craven as Simon, the one who hasn’t lost his faith in these difficult times. Production values are equally excellent, with a house that seems to have been lifted from the ashes of the Atlanta fire in “Gone with the Wind.” The home’s damaged foyer is lit in ever-changing shades of dark gray, and the sounds of a pelting rain rarely let up. All these elements, brought together on the Stiemke Studio stage, create an unforgettable experience.
