By Graham Hiley.
The Mountaintop scaled new heights at MAST Mayflower Studios.
Katori Hall’s re-imagining of Dr Martin Luther King’s final night on earth is utterly captivating and deeply thought-provoking – and superbly performed by two actors at the peak of their powers.
Ray Strasser-King is completely convincing as the civil rights leader but is equalled – if not eclipsed – by Justina Kehinde as the seductive maid Camae.
The pair are holed up in Room 306 of the Lorraine Motel where the iconic preacher was assassinated shortly after making his historic “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech.
This remarkable fully-staged MAST production (in conjunction with Leicester’s Curve Theatre) looks at the view from that summit – both forward and back.
Those images – powerfully brought to life in a bang-up-to-date montage – are as relevant now as they were on that night of Wednesday April 3, 1968.
With a deep sense of foreboding running through this extraordinary play, the pair hold the audience transfixed as they look back at King’s life, his fears, his failings and his flaws as well as his triumphs and his lasting legacy.
The premonition of what is about to come sees the minister confront his own demons and wrestle with regrets, teased out of him by the all-knowing angelic maid.
As the sense of his impending doom grows ever more intense, King goes through the five stages of grief while being cuddled, cajoled and eventually convinced by Camae.
First comes the denial because it does not seem right or even possible for this great man to die at 39. Then there is the anger that he has too much left to do.
A real highlight is the futile bargaining with God while Camae settles down with a tub of popcorn. That leads to depression and finally acceptance – all of which are powerfully transmitted to the audience.
With just the two characters on stage for 90 unbroken minutes, this could be a heavy watch. But their charisma and chemistry carry the powerful piece which is lifted by fitting flashes of humour – not to mention a few choice swear words from the divine visitor!
She begins by serving him coffee and cigarettes but stays to build a real rapport before delivering a jaw-dropping twist.
Under the deft direction of Nathan Powell, the superb staging adds to the ominous air of claustrophobic inevitability building to a compelling conclusion which acknowledges both the progress made in civil rights and the length of the journey still ahead.
* The Mountaintop runs at MAST Mayflower Studios until Saturday October 12. Tickets are available from £14.50 at mayflower.org.uk
- In Common is not for profit. We rely on donations from readers to keep the site running. Could you help to support us for as little as 25p a week? Please help us to carry on offering independent grass roots media. Visit: https://www.patreon.com/incommonsoton