Lynn Nottage is an American playwright who during her prolific career has won two Pulitzer Prizes, the only woman to have done so. She received them for “Ruined” and “Sweat,” in 2009 and 2017. Her subjects are the Black working class. “Crumbs From the Table of Joy,” one of her first plays, was written in 1995 and takes place in Brooklyn, where Nottage grew up.
It is 1950. Godfrey Crump is grieving after the death of his wife and decides to move with his two teenage daughters from Florida to Brooklyn, where he hopes to be closer to radio evangelist Father Divine and his mission. One cannot but notice the large portrait of the preacher on the wall- he is like the fourth character in the room. Godfrey tries to teach his daughters the value of prayer and he discourages any independence. But soon after they settle, Lily, the dead wife’s sister shows up, coming from Harlem, baggage in hand.
Lily represents another way out of the difficult life of the Black person of the day- she embraces Communism which promises equality for all in a new Negro revolution. She flaunts her wild social life and ridicules Godfrey’s devotion to what she sees as a phony bill of goods.
All this is revealed from the perspective of the older sister, Ernestine as she tries to be respectful of her father but also to find a way to a better future for herself through education. It gets more complex in the second act when Godfrey shows up one day, married to a White woman he met on the subway.
One of the things I love about Nottage’s writing is the complex relationships she develops. The conflicts that evolve are so real. Watching Ernestine come to grips with her life and the life a a Black woman was subtle but powerful.
Overall, the acting was first rate, but I did have some issues with Brett Ashley Robinson’s portrayal of Lily. She played it over-the-top in a rather one-dimensional style and less believable than the others. Also, the second act was stronger as it dealt with the themes of the day rather than lots of exposition. The lengthy opening monologue by Ernestine was a bit too long. But what I loved most about seeing this play was recognizing the development of one of America’s great playwrights in an early work. It was a treat.
“Crumbs From the Table of Joy” at Lantern Theater Company at St. Stephen’s Theater, 923 Ludlow St., Philadelphia, PA 19107. 215-829-0395 lanterntheater.org extended thru Dec. 17, 2023.
Philadelphia Theater Reviews by Frank Burd 