This Bitter Earth
Jesse tells us right from the start that “sometimes I can feel the earth move”. Divisive issues of race, class and sexuality certainly can do that. This Bitter Earth discusses all of them. As you might expect, the taste can be off-putting depending on one’s views. Playwright Harrison David Rivers serves up a slice of America within the confines of a single relationship.
Jesse meets Neil at a bar one night. Both are very drunk and flirting gaily. This cornerstone moment of two distinct worlds colliding will loom throughout the play. Jesse is black and Neil is white. That difference is obvious. A peek under the covers shines a light on two individuals who approach their lives within our society differently.
Jesse is an aspiring writer. He is extremely introspective. In moments of pain, he thinks about an Essex Hempbill poem which advises taking care of your blessings and nurturing them. That affirming positiveness is a structural backbone for this story. We are all different in what we are good at, how we think and our approach to living life.
Neil is a happy liberal white man who has emerged from some semblance of privilege. He is an avowed Black Lives Matter activist. Jesse’s political apathy is a sour note to their live together harmony. Predictable relationship tensions and recent histories will test their resolve.
There’s a good deal of simplistic hand wringing early on. “I can’t believe you’re not bothered by what’s going on” and “helping people is not bullshit”. The characters will reveal themselves more deeply through agreement and disagreement. The plot is believable and deceptively straightforward.
A sharp contemplative tone emerges beginning with a monologue which recounts a New York Magazine interview Frank Rich did with Chris Rock. A white man asking a black man about the first black President. The moment brilliantly encapsulates the complex nature of understanding varying perspectives.
Black Lives Matter stirs up emotions in many people. Some put signs up on their lawns. Others post Blue Lives Matter on Facebook and Twitter. Still others, like Jesse, proclaim that All Lives Matter. Neil hilariously equates ALM to running through a cancer fundraiser yelling “THERE’S OTHER DISEASES TOO”. Sharp quips like that keep this play entertaining as the layers are building.
Damian Jermaine Thompson (Jesse) and Tom Holcomb (Neil) instantaneously establish their character’s intense chemistry with each other. The beautifully played opening scene – a happy-go-lucky courting ritual – turns haunting as the knotty problems of evolving relationships and life’s injustices come to bear.
The play’s structure is non-linear and bounces back and forth regularly and effectively. Director David Mendizábal steers the many transitions confidently. The ending felt abrupt and slightly confusing. However, the river rapids and meandering creeks within this particular tale encourage confrontation with our troubled world. This story may exist simply as a vehicle for understanding ourselves and our reactions to what is happening on stage and in our country.
Mr. Rivers challenges his audience through these two imperfect yet realistic people. Our societal history is being written every day. How can we see the world more similarly? Is that a goal? What will the future look like? On this bitter earth “sometimes our souls need a release”. Here is a play which seriously looks at our humanity through its current cracked mirror format. We can see parts that work very well and so many that will require repair ahead.
Performances for This Bitter Earth continue in Hartford, CT through March 20, 2022. Streaming begins March 7th and the quality is very good.