James Baldwin wrote the novel,” Giovanni’s Room” in 1956. It is about an American man in Paris, waiting for his fiancé. He meets an Italian man named Giovanni, which brings back all the homosexual feelings he had growing up. The novel deals with sexual identity, masculinity, and bisexuality long before it was in mainstream literature. It was never turned into a play until recently when co-playwright Benjamin Springer convinced the Baldwin Estate that he would use as much original dialogue as possible. With Paul Oakley, Stovall as co-playwright, “Giovanni’s Room” is getting its world premiere on the Quintessence stage. It is extraordinary!
David is in Paris alone. He had asked Hella a to marry him but unsure, she took a side trip to Spain to think about it. Meanwhile, he gets invited to go out drinking to a bar- a gay bar. As David is a very attractive young man, he gets hit on by almost everyone there. He resists them all until he meets Giovanni, the Italian bartender, who he falls for. He is confused as he thought he left that attraction for the same sex long ago. He moves into Giovanni’s room but still questions his own sexuality and even has a brief encounter with another woman.
Who is he? There is no lengthy monologue which we don’t need anyway. We watch him as he interacts with the different people he meets. Some tell him that he needs a woman to guide him while others push their male sexuality on him. He even interacts with his past self. What does he want? Is he just playing it safe? So many questions raised in the first act as we closely watch his face trying to understand his situation and his life.
At the intermission, I chatted with a gay guy who told me that he lived a “straight” life until he came out when he was 31 years old. Is that what David is facing? When his fiancé arrives in the second act, it is clear that he loves her. He desires her. What is he to do? Can he remain friends with Giovanni?
This is such a powerful story as it explores not only the life of David, but also of Giovanni. The transformation of the novel into the play is seamless. And Stovall, who also directed the play, does an extraordinary job shuffling the 16 characters played by 11 actors on and around the stage that is surrounded by three sides of audience seats. The characters range from absurd to painfully real and they all create the environment which David has entered. Every moment is riveting!
Ethan Check and Micheal Aurelio head the cast as David and Giovanni- they are so powerful- one subtle, the other forceful. The whole cast is outstanding as they tell a serious story with humor and panache. It’s the best play of the season!
“‘Giovanni’s Room” by James Baldwin, adapted by Benjamin Sprunger & Paul Oakley Stovall at Quintessence Theatre, 7137 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19119, 215-987-4450, quintessencetheatre.org in repertory with “Antony & Cleopatra” ”Extended thru June 29, 2025
Philadelphia Theater Reviews by Frank Burd 