COAL MINE THEATRE presents Appropriate

Let me give you the conclusion of this review before the bulk of the review: You need to see Appropriate at Coal Mine Theatre. You need to pick a day before it closes, cancel some plans if you have to, and see this show. I have had the privilege of seeing a ton of theatre, and this production ranks in the top 5 plays I’ve ever seen. It’s that good. 

The Coal Mine Theatre was forced to move to a new home after their last building caught fire, so after a disastrous period of time they needed a win to start their journey right. They needed to come out of the literal and metaphorical flames with a step in the right direction, and they took a heck of a step. 

Appropriate written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, and directed by Ted Dykstra brings together the estranged members of the Lafayette family, having them return to their father’s run-down plantation in Arkansas to sell the house and its contents to pay hefty bills accumulated by Dad. As they sort through what feels like an endless pile of keepsakes and junk, they discover an album filled to the brim with relics of the South’s dark history: how black people were treated if they got out of line. This has the family spiral down a rabbit hole of dark family secrets and has the family members analyzing their part in their father’s life, in each other, and in the world. This play deals with themes of race, family trauma, identity, and a deep theme of forgiveness.

Having never seen a show with Coal Mine Theatre, I honestly didn’t know what to expect, but I did know that at almost three hours in length, that I was signing up for what I assumed was going to be a long night. In the first few moments of the play, when were in absolute pitch black, and the sounds of the swamp and cicadas growing louder and louder, I thought to myself, “Oh boy, what did I sign myself up for” But when the grey scrim curtain opened, it didn’t take too long to begin feeling immersed in the world of the Lafayette plantation. 

We first meet the youngest brother Frank (Andy Trithardt) who has wrestled with a troubled past, and his VERY young hippie girlfriend River (Alison Beckwith) as they sneak into the house via the window, assuming no one is home. Very quickly though, the couple is confronted by Toni (Raquel Duffy) the eldest Lafayette child, who spent the most amount of time caring for their father. We also meet her son Rhys (pronounced Reece)(Mackenzie Wojcik), who we learn like his uncle Frank, has a troubled past. Shortly after we also meet the middle sibling Bo (Gray Powell), his Jewish wife, Rachael (Amy Lee) (this fact becomes VERY important in the storyline), and their children Ainsley (Ruari Hamman), and Cassidy (Hannah Levinson). 

The acting in this production was top-notch, with no one ever missing a beat. The timing of the reveals, jokes, and impactful meaningful moments were delivered perfectly. 

I want to give HUGE kudos to set designers Steve Lucas and Rebecca Morris for creating an incredibly elaborate set in an incredibly tiny space. My mind was thoroughly blown.

I also want to give Kudos to the playwright and all the actors, because this play should be a heavy one given the theme, but the comedy sprinkled throughout the play is not only written well but delivered flawlessly. The comedy allows the audience to lower any walls they may have put up because of the themes/content of the play, but also gives them permission to react however they see fit, because once a person starts to laugh, “oohs” and gasps also feel permitted. 

As we progress through the play, the theme of forgiveness comes up over, and over, and over again, and with good reason. Pretty much every character in the play at some point in time either asks for forgiveness or is asked to forgive someone. The true question is at what point does a person not grant forgiveness? At what point does a person say, “No, I can’t forgive this”. I feel like the main three siblings have to struggle deeply to ask themselves if they can forgive their father for the familial trauma he has caused them, but also for potentially being a very close-minded, bigoted human being. For some like Toni, that forgiveness for him comes easier than forgiving her youngest brother for running away from home after he wrecked his reputation as a younger man. 

I will also say, the very last 5 minutes of the play were a masterclass in set building and design. I don’t want to ruin too much, but before our very eyes we see the house that caused rifts, and tears crumble into rubble. I was tense, and I was in awe. 

This incredible production closes on Oct 10, and I HIGHLY recommend you book your tickets while you can here: https://tickets.coalminetheatre.com/events/. 

[Review by Shan Fernando]