James Driscoll and Sophia Kilburg in To Kill a Mockingbird
Taking flight once again, the Mockingbird on Main has returned with Harper Lee’s classic To Kill a Mockingbird, now playing at Moline’s Black Box Theatre. Directed by Mockingbird co-owners Tristan Tapscott and Savannah Bay Strandin, their newest production offers a searing look at a nearly century-old America that still feels all too relevant now.
I must confess that this was my first time experiencing Lee’s work. For years, I’ve heard all kinds of praise heaped on the novel and 1962 film but had never gotten around to either. For those, like me, unfamiliar with the plot, it's set in a small Alabama town in the midst of its own personal “trial of the century.” A black man, Tom Robinson (Keenen Wilson), is accused of raping white woman Mayella Ewell (Brenna France), and it’s all that anyone can talk about. Our doorway into the world is Scout (Sophia Kilburg), the young daughter of Atticus Finch (James Driscoll), the lawyer representing Tom. Scout has an inquisitive mind and is constantly wanting to know more, which provides a great excuse for the town's other denizens to explain things to her, and consequently, to the audience.
In playwright Christopher Sergel's stage version, the action starts with a heavy dose of exposition as everyone enters and explains who they are, where they are, and what everything is in relation to everything else. You learn the history of fictional Maycomb, Alabama, circa mid-1930s, and as you could probably guess, it’s fairly racist. The word “fairly” is an understatement here, and those looking to attend should be aware that they will hear racist slurs relentlessly. But this unflinching look at American history gives the piece it’s lasting power and unfortunate relevancy. It takes a while to get going, but once Atticus walks on stage, things quickly become captivating, thanks in large part to Driscoll’s powerhouse portrayal.
He’s in excellent company, as the ensemble is uniformly great, and everyone gives an energetic and emphatic performance. And while I would love to expound about the individual performances, the size of the cast (17 actors, which is the largest non-musical cast I’ve seen in the QC in quite some time) prevents me from doing so. However, there are four I would like to commend. Driscoll lends the iconic Finch the gravitas he deserves, and I now understand why this character is beloved by so many. He even does a solid job of shading in Finch’s doubts and insecurities, something that the script itself seems unwilling to do. Kilburg also does great work granting Scout some nuance, and swings wonderfully between precocious and petulant at the drop of a hat. France brings the heat in a fiery courtroom confessional, and powerfully highlights the pull between sharing your personal truth and conforming to your community. Wilson, meanwhile, commands the stage and activity in his far-too-brief appearance. Were it not for him, this To Kill a Mockingbird would not land its powerful punch that brought the audience to its feet during the curtain call.
There were a few presentational bumps during Friday’s performance. The sound effects were mysteriously missing from the first act, though they were restored for the second. There was also some line hesitancy in spots and a couple of late entrances. But my problems with the production’s execution end there. My bigger issue was with Sergel's writing, particularly in the dissonance between the message and how it's delivered. A central theme of the work is that when you place yourself in someone else’s shoes, you’ll find that they aren’t wholly good or bad; they’re a person, just like you. Yet there's a notable exception in Atticus Finch, who, in Sergel's stage version, at least, has basically been made into a white paragon – practically an angel on Earth with no perceivable faults. Here, he’s even costumed in all white throughout, and practically glows under the stage lights. But again: Kudos to Driscoll for finding nuance in the role.
As is typical of Mockingbird productions, the technical elements are all strong. Bradley Robert Jensen's costume design features his typical meticulous attention to detail, with many of the characters’ articles of clothing having frays, tears, and the dirt you would expect from a low-income community in 1930s Alabama. I greatly enjoyed the visual design by Emmett Boedeker, who excellently utilized the Black Box’s limited lighting plot with wonderful results. In particular, the night scenes are stunning, delivering a gorgeous blend of blues and warm colors. Finally, Tapscott's and Strandin's scenic design is their best yet. Their set features the facsimile of a home, with hanging foliage and weathered dirt paths out front, and while it's hard for me to articulate, the design strikes a breathtaking balance between obviously theatrical and conceivably livable.
I couldn’t help but notice a line in the director’s note mentioning that this may be the last flight of The Mockingbird on Main. If that’s the case, I couldn’t think of a more fitting swan song for the organization. To Kill a Mockingbird is a little rough around the edges, but it also isn’t afraid to push you out of your comfort zone and show you something truly compelling and challenging. Whether or not you’ve attended one of their shows before, give this Mockingbird a chance.
The Mockingbird on Main's To Kill A Mockingbird runs at the Black Box Theatre (1623 Fifth Avenue, Moline IL) through May 26, and more information and tickets are available by visiting TheMockingbirdOnMain.com.
