Succession

7.5/10

The first few days of August saw the regional premiere of Succession at the Star Center Theatre. This relatively unknown modern retelling of "All About Eve"appears to be self-published and only recently debuted during the 2022 National Black Theatre Festival in North Carolina. Though the inspiration for this play is over 70 years old, this review will attempt to avoid too many spoilers.

While many previous reviews begin with a breakdown of the production design, the set and costumes are relatively simple in Succession and the performances of the actors immediately outpace the simplicity of their surroundings.

Through Steve Harrison, brilliantly portrayed by Lamont Wallace, ruthless ambition takes center stage. Mr. Wallace creates a compelling and sympathetic ingenue throughout the first Act, so much so that the audience may be forgiven for thinking Mr. Wallace's timidity and eagerness were genuine. As the foil to youthful naiveté, Marcus Chandler, perfectly captured by Kamili, exhibits the arrogance and bitterness of age and missed opportunities. When confronted with the seeming innocence of one character compared to the resentment of the other, these two actors leave the audience with a seemingly easy choice of right and wrong, good and bad amongst the cast of characters. While Charles L. White created an insightful and thought-provoking world within Black Theatre, Mr. Wallace and Kamili bring that world to life. Rounding out the lead performances, Amanda Edwards embodies the moral center of the story as first-time female director Billie Simpson. Ms. Edwards is natural and engrossing from the moment she steps onto the stage, making the audience feel and appreciate the struggles of her character as she looks to secure her own success.

Thematically, Succession is intense and the actors do not shy away from the ugliness of ambition, instead telling the story earnestly.

With all these great performances on stage, it would be nice to see more of them.

Many of the scenes are blocked in a way that obstructs the view of the actor's face, making it difficult to see the reactions or hear every word. Even when the actors are front and center, though, some emotionally charged scenes throughout the play feel static, with actors sitting still for the duration. The performances are otherwise so dynamic that the lack of movement stands out as a missed opportunity to emphasize the passion of the characters and intensity of the moment.

As is often the case with the Star Center Theatre, there is a story that will hold the audience's attention long after the curtains close. It is hard to ignore the self-reflection on the limits of ambition that these actors have inspired and though the production may not be the most polished, the story is strong and deserves to be seen.

Succession runs through August 10th at the Star Center Theatre . Tickets are $22 for general admission and $15 for students and can be purchased at starcentertheatre.org/tickets.