'Raisin in the Sun' shines with Denzel Washington
NEW YORK — When A Raisin in the Sun was last produced on Broadway in 2004, it was a vehicle for Sean Combs, the multitasking celebrity better known as, variously, Puff Daddy, P. Diddy and just plain Diddy. Though director Kenny Leon surrounded him with accomplished actors, Combs proved rather less adept at animating a flesh-and-blood character as he was at juggling stage names.
Ah, what a difference 10 years and a worthy leading man can make. The new Raisin (* * * * out of four) that opened Thursday at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre is also helmed by Leon, but it stars a riveting Denzel Washington, leading a flawless cast with his best work to date on the Main Stem.
The result is a production that, considered alongside its predecessor, is nothing short of revelatory. Where Leon's last Raisin felt stiff and curiously dated, this time he and his company have reclaimed Lorraine Hansberry's 1959 play as an American classic, one that both captures a distinct time in our history and carries an enduring relevance and resonance.
It wasn't a given that this would be the case. At 59, Washington is nearly a quarter century older than protagonist Walter Lee Younger is in the original text. Five years have been added to the character's age, so that he's now 40, though he faces the same challenges: a job he loathes (as a chauffeur), a frustrated wife, a claustrophobic living arrangement and the expectations of a devoted but disappointed mother and a world that doesn't exactly encourage the dreams of black men.
Exuding the physical energy of a man, well, 20 years his junior, Washington captures not only Walter Lee's restless spirit but also the selfishness and immaturity that have long vexed his wife, Ruth, and mom, Lena. When things are looking up for this Walter Lee, his enthusiasm is almost boyish; when they're not, we feel the full weight of his fury and encroaching bitterness.
It's a vibrant, funny, searing performance, and it's matched fully by those of Washington's co-stars. LaTanya Richardson Jackson, who stepped into the role of Lena after Diahann Carroll withdrew from the production in February, doesn't miss a beat in showing us the wit and grit that have sustained this matriarch. Sophie Okonedo, likewise, conveys Ruth's weariness and resilience to heart-wrenching effect.
As Walter Lee's younger sister, Beneatha, a college student on her own quest for self-actualization, the sublime Anika Noni Rose defies gravity as handily as Washington does — and manages a delightful chemistry with the superb, sexy Sean Patrick Thomas, cast as Beneatha's Nigerian suitor, Joseph Asagai.
Director/actor David Cromer, whose insightful stagings of other beloved American plays have earned wide acclaim, has a biting turn as Karl Lindner, a genteel bigot who poses a fresh threat to the Youngers' aspirations. It's tempting to imagine what Cromer's own vision for Raisin might be — though he'd be hard-pressed to top the vitality and potency of this production.