Broadway is a vehicle through which many different topics can be discussed, including those that may be difficult for people to approach and deal with. Once the topic has been raised there is a commitment, and although you may feel uncomfortable at times, you find yourself drawn to see what will happen next. That’s how I felt as I watched “Blackbird,” an intense drama that openly deals with a pedophile and his former victim, a young woman.
Written by David Harrower, the play shows you a possible scenario that might occur after sexual abuse has already happened. Ray, portrayed by Jeff Daniels, had a sexual relationship with Una, portrayed by Michelle Williams, when she was a child and he was an adult. Years later, she sees his picture in a magazine, and although he changed his name, she knows who he is and goes to his job to confront him about what he did. The audience gets to hear how this abuse affected her life and her family and how it continues to do so. We also hear about the abuse from the abuser’s perspective—an abuser who is a completely different person now and who seems to be living a normal life.
This play is so intensely written and performed that you’ll find yourself riveted. The storyline and the acting are powerfully brought together via the direction of Joe Mantello. “Blackbird” is playing at the Belasco Theatre on West 44th Street. Be warned, it is disturbing to watch.
For more information, visit blackbirdbroadway.com.
