What I liked
Caveat—I was already a big fan of Rain’s singer-songwriter chops. So I was very gratified to see and hear her slipping into song now and then, with an excellent two-piece band backing her up. Between songs there’s a lot of talk about America’s less-than-shining aspects, starting in the days of slavery. But Rain isn’t here to complain; she presents unsettling information on these issues (much of which was a revelation to me) then asks America to do better, to evolve into what it was meant to be.
What I didn't like
I’m such a fan of Rain’s songs that I wanted more of them. But the spoken segments that make up the majority of this piece are augmented with striking projections and the amusing presence of a stage manager, so there were no portions of the show that got old.
My overall impression
If you’re like me, Rain’s very intelligent, well-researched, sympathetic show is a good way to deal with bad things. I sometimes feel like burying my head after hearing about the latest injustices being thrust upon the American public. Rain unflinchingly dives in to our nation’s troubled present and past in a very watchable way, finding the right mix of difficult-to-discuss topics and showmanship.
