Fires in the Mirror

Performed by WAAPA Third Year Acting Students, and designed, built and crewed by WAAPA Production and Design students, Fires in the Mirror, Crown Heights, Brooklyn and Other Identities was written by Anna Deavere Smith, an African American playwright actress and professor in 1992 as a response to the Crown Heights Riots of August 1991 and its aftermath. 

The riots happened after a car driven by a Jewish man mounted a footpath, hitting two Afro-Caribbean children, killing seven-year-old Gavin Cato. Protests emerged after what the African American community believed to be a delay in medical care. During the uprising, a group of African American youth attacked and fatally injured an Australian Jewish student, Yanken Rosenbaum.

One of the first verbatim theatre pieces, it is the result of hundreds of interviews with mostly Jewish and African American residents of Crown Heights. Originally performed by Anna Deavere Smith as a solo theatrical work, WAAPA’s version features 11 Actors performing the 29 monologues and nearly as many characters. Like the original, the race and gender of each performer does not necessarily match the character.

Sarah Holten’s set uses simple lines and windows to represent a multi-story Crown Heights Brownstone and recreates the street and sidewalk outside. Smooth movement and almost balletic choreography (thanks to movement director Sam Chester) creates transitions between each scene, sometimes creating moments of story and at others adding key props and set elements. Jolene Whibley has provided a very sensitive lighting design that is emotive and evocative. Clever, clear costume design, also by Sarah Holten, helps actors to quickly establish multiple distinct characters. Megan Coles has provided a dynamic highly charged sound design.    

A strong cast create interesting and diverse characters with many actors playing several characters who hold opposing views - and giving both arguments credence. Memorable moments include Roxanne Gardiner’s beautiful and comedic storytelling as an Anonymous Lubavitcher Woman, Gabrielle Wilson’s emotive and heartfelt Rabbi Joseph Spielman and her strong final monologue as Sonny Carson, Dominic Masterton’s convincing Leonard Jeffries and impactful speech as Australian Norman Rosenbaum, and Laura Shaw’s straight talking teenage girl. Remy Danoy and Shontane Farmer are particularly adept at gender flipping roles. Actors filling in for an absent Brendon Halsey did an admirable job and Will Bastow, Giuseppe D’Allura, Delia Price and Karina Skala deliver impressive performances.

A beautifully realised production that features strong performances, beautiful visuals and lots of food for thought. 

Kimberley Shaw