Theater Review by Lauren Sheely, April 24, 2016
Rating 2.5 Stars out of 4
(left to right) Joseph Wiens, Manny Buckley and Drew Schad in a publicity image for Shattered Globe Theatre’s production of IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT, adapted by Matt Pelfrey, based on the novel by John Ball and directed by Louis Contey. Photo by Joe Martinez Jr.
In the Heat of the Night, the 1967 film that went on to win a number of Academy Awards (including best picture) is something of a cultural touchstone, a resonant marker of the 1960s and racial upheaval in America. The movie spawned a few spin-offs and a television series, but nothing came close to the iconic movie. Shattered Globe Theatre is currently producing a stage adaptation of John Ball’s novel, the original source material for the film. This adaptation, by Matt Pelfrey, hews a little more closely to the book, but is easily recognizable to anyone who has seen the film. Directed by Louis Contey, the production is capable, gamely acted and beautifully designed. But at most it serves as an accurate reflection of time and place, and does little to provoke thought about the current state of race relations in America today.
Perhaps this is an impossible ask with this material. Ball’s novel is a police procedural with a racial twist, and not particularly nuanced. We are presented with the exceptional black man, Virgil Tibbs, first mistaken as a suspect in a recent murder in small town Alabama. When it is discovered that he is actually a detective from Pasadena, he is recruited into assisting with the the murder investigation. His residency in Argo, Alabama provides ample opportunities for Virgil to encounter all the varying degrees of racism found in the town, from the overt presence of the KKK to the more insidious tendencies of Chief Gillespie (Joseph Weins). Along the way to solving the crime, Tibbs manages to broaden the minds of a few residents of the small town, namely the local beat cop Sam Wood (Drew Schad).
The strength of this production lies with Manny Buckley, who turns in a razor-sharp performance as Virgil Tibbs. It’s hard to step out from the shadow of Sidney Poitier’s most famous role, but Buckley sketches a man constantly weighing his instincts against his realistic options. He’s funny, tough, and unstinting. The moment that resonated most deeply was the final of the production, where we see Tibbs alone on the bench of the railway station, where we first met him. Buckley says nothing, but in his posture and his face we see the dark understanding that the few days he spent in Argo will do little to change the attitudes and beliefs of people he’s met. It’s the only moment in the show that feels like a commentary on where we’ve been and still how far we have yet to go.
(left to right) Joseph Wiens, Manny Buckley and Drew Schad in a publicity image for Shattered Globe Theatre’s production of IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT, adapted by Matt Pelfrey, based on the novel by John Ball and directed by Louis Contey. Photo by Joe Martinez Jr.
Joseph Weins makes a engaging Chief Gillespie, instilled with a casual racism and still all too aware of his own outsider status in Argo. I was sorry the script didn’t offer more opportunities for him to engage with Buckley one on one. Drew Schad also turns in a solid performance as Sam Wood, believably honest and open as he becomes friends with Tibbs. The supporting cast is also strong, with many actors doubling in a number of small roles. In an inspired choice, the audience sees the murder reenacted by various suspects as the investigation shifts and changes. This staging is appropriate for the procedural format, and also livens up the very linear progression of events.
Special note must also be made of Michael Stanfill’s lighting design. Moody and noir-ish, the side lights cast an unusual amount of shadows, heightening the sense of shifting suspicions. The set by Joe Shermoly is serviceable as various spots around town, keeping the action and momentum moving forward throughout. Fight choreography by Christina Gorman was very convincing in the small confines of the space, but needed a bit of clarity of pacing in a few spots, namely the final arrest, when the fighting got a little fast and a little messy, confusing the action of what was occurring onstage.
This is a very solid production of a time-specific piece, one that captures the political moment and context. It can perhaps go further yet, deepening the relevancy between the past and our present, provoking more questions about the nature of America’s progress. There needs to be more of a sense of the stifling heat, of the inescapable tensions present then and still present today, different and not different. The production is not quite there yet, but Buckley is already turning in a nuanced performance as the famous Mr. Tibbs, one good reason to revisit this classic onstage.
In the Heat of the Night runs from now until June 5th, at Theater Wit, 1229 W Belmont Ave. Tickets may be purchased at www.theatrewit.org, or by calling 773-975-8150. More information is available at www.theatreinchicago.com.
