By: Darryl Reilly
James Baldwin’s essence is wonderfully channeled by actor Greig Sargeant in Baldwin and Buckley at Cambridge, the theater piece he conceived for the troupe, Elevator Repair Service. Mr. Sargeant’s vocal cadences echo Baldwin’s passionate delivery without being an imitation. Most crucial is Sargeant’s wide-eyed facial expressions which realistically captures Baldwin’s.
On Feb. 18, 1965, at the England university’s Cambridge Union, the Black American novelist, Civil Rights activist and cultural critic James Baldwin (1924–1987) debated the white American conservative fixture and publisher of the magazine, The National Review, William F. Buckley, Jr., (1925–2008) over the proposition, “The American Dream is at the expense of the American Negro.” Baldwin and Buckley at Cambridge succeeds at recreating this contentious exchange on the stage.
The sleek and athletic Ben Jalosa Williams’ Buckley is thrilling to watch as he animatedly holds forth while in motion. For most of the show, Mr. Williams speaks in a neutral mellifluous tone. Twice, he briefly switches over to replicating Buckley’s actual often parodied upper class drawl. It is chilling to hear him now espouse reactionary views in this fashion. The suited Sargeant and Williams’ tremendous stage presence and rapport overcome the piece’s flaws.
The 1965 event is available to watch on YouTube, the actual debate lasts 44 minutes. Baldwin and Buckley at Cambridge is padded out to an hour with actors Gavin Price (who performed at the performance under review) and Christopher-Rashee Stevenson as Cambridge Union students who participated with introductions and remarks. These appearances are here treated as a meta flourish. The personable Mr. Price and Mr. Stevenson do not employ English accents and are dressed in contemporary clothing, each often offering present day insights. It’s all a distraction from the serious and timeless arguments being made by the two eloquent combatants.
Another conceit is the play’s finale co-written by Sargeant and April Matthis. It’s a short imaginary conversation between Baldwin and his friend, Black playwright Lorraine Hansberry (1930-1965), who died before the debate took place. Daphne Gaines is captivating in her brief role as the feisty Hansberry, but this device comes across as extraneous.
Director John Collins’ forceful staging achieves visual interest and momentum. Scenic consultant dots provides appropriate furnishings to simulate the hall on the three-sided playing area. Lighting designer Alan C. Edwards and sound designer Ben Williams’ subtle contributions bolster the productions theatricality. Jessica Jahn’s costume design of suits and everyday wear is effective. Earon Chew Nealey’s hair and wig design artfully transforms those actors who need it.
Baldwin and Buckley at Cambridge’s core, the simulation of the actual historic encounter is thoughtfully entertaining. Its embellishments are less so.
Baldwin and Buckley at Cambridge (through October 23, 2022)
Elevator Repair Service
The Anspacher Theater at the Public Theater, 425 Lafayette Street, in Manhattan
For tickets, visit www.publictheater.org
Running time: 60 minutes with no intermission