Review of The Mountaintop at Round House Theatre
The success of a two-hander play depends on two things: the script (of course), but maybe even more, on the relationship between the two players. When they are of differing sexes, balancing that relationship can be weighted on the side of the masculine. In The Mountaintop, however, the opposite sex has a slight advantage: she’s literally heavenly.
In a set drenched in mid-century verisimilitude, we are immediately confronted with a depiction of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr (Ro Boddie) as so human as to have holes in his socks and stinky feet. The play is a fantasy reimagining of his last night on Earth, just before his assassination on the balcony of a shabby hotel room in Memphis. His room service order of coffee and cigarettes is fulfilled by a chambermaid (Renea S. Brown) who is his match in many ways.
What starts out as friendly banter and moderate flirtation develops into philosophical discussion and inspired oratory – but not from the character you would expect! The audience and Dr. King begin to suspect that this chambermaid, Camae, is far more than she seems. And, indeed, she lives up to Dr. King’s accusation of being an “incognegro” by revealing that she is a divine messenger sent to accompany him to the great beyond the next day.
Is he ready to go? Of course not. He has things to do, speeches to give. How can he be sure the work will continue, the baton will be passed? The last minutes of the show transform that beige room into a fantastic sound and light show, with a spoken-word tour-de-force by Camae, herself outfitted in raiment befitting her celestial status.
Round House audiences last saw Ro Boddie in Radio Golf, and Renea S. Brown in Nollywood Dreams, both playing second leads. They shine brightly in The Mountaintop, showing off top-notch acting chops. There’s chemistry, both between them and with the audience. They make watching this play a real treat.
And segueing neatly into the treats available at the Fourth Wall Bar and Café, we find a list of cocktails cutely named with references to the play, such as “Lorraine Motel” and “Coffee and Cigarettes.” Unfortunately, there are very few food references in the play to tie the kitchen offerings to, but Corrie’s Egg Sandwich and Rendezvous Ribs give it their best shot. The ribs in particular sound good (“Memphis style pork ribs served with the best baked beans, pickles and white bread”). I can see coming early to a performance to indulge in a plate of ribs.
