BmoreArt

In a production that comes in at fewer than 85 minutes, playwright Eboni Booth has hidden some pretty big themes in plain sight. I found the story to be about coping with unimaginable trauma by creating a version of reality that made the past less all-consuming and the present more bearable. And no, I won’t reveal what the trauma was—you’ll want to see the show to find out.     

There is no urgency to the drama nor the comedic moments, but this suits the story well. Director Reginald L. Douglass has an impressive resumé and after watching the performances in Primary Trust, it is obvious why. The characters are well developed, and the unfolding of their story is really just right. The creative team of Paige Hathaway’s set design, David Burdick’s costumes, Harold F. Burgess II’s lighting and Kathy Ruvuna’s sound design all do exactly what I’ve come to expect from a production on the stage of Everyman—good, solid, professional level work every time. 

The small cast of actors performs with the same professionalism. Andreá Bellamore as Corina/Wally’s Waiter/Bank Customer is a chameleon, able to switch accents and body language like a shape-shifting shaman. Jefferson A. Russell has a good grasp of each of his three characters: the store owner Sam, the bank manager Clay, and a snooty waiter at a French restaurant, Le Pousselet. While a little more differentiation between the characters would have been nicer, the notes he hit were distinguishable between each character, from the store owner’s gruff kind-heartedness to the bombastic bank manager. This actor is well cast and I look forward to seeing him again on a stage somewhere in the area. 

Louis E. Davis as Bert is exactly the kind of imaginary friend I’d like to have—should I ever need one. With as kindly a face as I can ever recall seeing, Mr. Davis infuses Bert with sympathetic listening, good advice, in short, everything you need from a supportive friend, imaginary or otherwise, and he’s able to do it sometimes without ever saying a word. 

It’s the palpable connection between the two actors, Mr. Davis and the star turn exhibited by R.J. Brown, that fuels the engine of this production best. R.J. Brown’s Kenneth is a kind of Charlie Brown-ish, affable loner, whose life has chugged along unchallenged and unexamined from the outside, but who is a swirling mix of suppressed emotions which other reviewers have identified as a testament to his loneliness, hence the need for an imaginary friend at the age of 38. And Mr. Brown’s superb take on the character makes this story all the more poignant. 

Eboni Booth’s excellent skills as a playwright have been lauded many times, as have the accomplishments of everyone connected with this production. Sitting in the audience this past weekend, I heard several of my fellow audience members echo exactly what I was thinking—what a great story and so well told by these actors. I can’t think of a thing to add to that. 

Primary Trust runs February 2 – March 2 at Everyman Theatre, 315 W Fayette St, Baltimore, MD 21201, for tickets and information, visit Everyman Theatre’s website.

Header image: Louis E. Davis and R.J. Brown in Primary Trust at Everyman Theatre.