Seen at Edinburgh Festival Fringe on the 9^th of August 2023

2 stars – interesting text, lacks direction

Various episodes of racism are brought together in this fast-paced show involving a young black person born and raised in the South of the US. The characters that surround him, his parents and friends, are brought to life through the narrative: each has a story to tell.

A refrain interrogating on identity resonates briefly from one section to the next, while fascinating hints are given of deep cultural roots.

As these stories intertwine, situations of injustice emerge. The evidence is not spelled out, i.e. that injustice comes from privilege and privilege comes from a history of oppression, but it builds up a bitter subtext. For some of the characters, religion is a solution. But the question raises: what’s a white God’s will?

The text by Jersten Seraile, who is also actor and director, is well written, with an interesting take on very relevant themes. Sadly, the absence of an external director turns into some major flaws in the mise-en-scène. The rhythm is often too fast and movements are not precise; energy is also not always high. This text definitely deserves a more worked-on delivery, perhaps with some more creative direction solutions.

Tickets and Info: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/god-done-opened-the-sky