A Raisin in the Sun

* Young Centre for the Performing Arts
* 55 Mill St. Building 49, Distillery District, Toronto

We went to see the soulpepper production of A Raisin in the Sun tonight. It was written by Lorraine Hansberry in 1959, and was first performed at New York's Barrymore Theatre on March 11, 1959. The original cast included the likes of Sidney Poitier, Louis Gossett Jr., and Ruby Dee, who were all also cast in the film of the same name produced in 1961.

The play is about an African-American family living on Chicago's South Side, trying to make ends meet, trying to preserve their pride and dignity. The soulpepper production is directed by Weyni Mengesha, and stars Charles Officer, Cara Ricketts, Alison Sealy-Smith, Abena Malika, and Kofi Payton as Travis, supported by Awaovieyi Agie, Barbara Barnes-Hopkins, Michael Blake, Matthew Kabwe, and Diego Matamoros. The actors all did a great job tonight. The show featured a simple, well-designed set, augmented by excellent lighting, which provided a perfect backdrop to the play.

The story holds up perfectly well today. The face of our problems may change some, but we still have poverty, ghettos, racism, and we still have family, hope, struggle and love.

A Raisin in the Sun is playing in Toronto until November 15 and gets the Mister Anchovy stamp of approval. Well done by all.