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My overall impression
Heard of Ira Aldridge? It matters not. This show exhumes the 19th century black actor and brings him vividly back to life, telling the story of how he took a fellow thespian’s advice when he was 17 and went to England, where he would not face racial prejudice. It’s well-acted by Ryan Vincent Anderson, who shifts credibly between Aldridge and a variety of supporting characters, making each unique; Jeffrey Wienckowski’s direction is first-rate, highly attentive and never arbitrary. If there’s a flaw it’s in Rick Creese’s script. The show is heavy on exposition, though some of it is by necessity, dealing as it does with a largely forgotten figure; the text is solid for the most part but ventures into the mundane at times.
