Invisible Thread
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Cititour.com Review
It’s hardly unusual to see performers on stage telling their personal stories, but few have done it quite the way Griffin Matthews does in “Invisible Thread,” his well-meaning and periodically affecting new musical (co-written with Matt Gould) now making its New York premiere at Second Stage Theatre.
A rather episodic tale, “Invisible Thread” begins when Griffin, a struggling African-American actor in New York City, gets thrown out of his church choir for being gay and makes a spur-of-the moment decision to volunteer in Uganda, leaving behind white Jewish theater composer boyfriend Ryan (the excellent Corey Mach). Once in Africa, where he ends up volunteering to build a school and staying in a compound run by the unseen Pastor Jim and taken care of by tough-hearted Joy (the superb Adeola Role), Griffin bonds with Joy’s brother Jacob (an outstanding Michael Luwoye).
Still, despite Griffin’s friendship (or is it more?) with Jacob, he feels compelled to leave the compound after he learns some hard truths about Pastor Jim and starts teaching four young Africans he meets by accident. It’s a move that has unexpected consequences for everyone concerned, and which reveals to Griffin (as well as the audience) some hard, unpleasant truths about both Africa and human nature.
In some ways, this story might have been more effective as a play or even a simple monologue. Instead, we get this rather expansive production, featuring the kinetic direction of Tony winner Diane Paulus, the African-inspired choreography of Sergio Trujillo and Darrell Grand Moultrie, a large sand-filled set by Tom Pye, and a slew of clever if occasionally intrusive projections by Peter Negrini. These elements, while often quite entertaining, often seem a bit out of scale with Matthews’ story. (Yes, he accomplished some wonderful things as we learn in an epilogue, but he isn’t quite Mother Theresa!)
The score also doesn’t add as much to the proceedings as it could. The title ballad is quite lovely; the gospel-flavored “Bela Musana” (featuring the roof-raising vocals of Melody Betts) is a welcome addition to the second act, and most of the ensemble numbers are lively enough, especially as rendered by this passionate cast. But the piece could use some stronger character songs to add some depth. And the work could also benefit from a stronger singer-actor in the lead than Matthews (even if he is an extremely likeable performer).
With the world in disarray, it perhaps seems churlish to quibble about such a positive, feel-good piece as “Invisible Thread.” Still, despite its virtues, the musical is a bit too much of a slender “Thread” to deserve such a first-class treatment.
By Brian Scott Lipton
Visit the Site
http://2st.com/shows/current-production/invisible-thread
Cast
Melody Betts, Rodrick Covington, Kevin Curtis, Tyrone Davis Jr., Nkrumah Gatling, Latrisa Harper, Jason Herbert, Aisha Jackson, Kristolyn Lloyd, Michael Lluwoye, Corey Mach, Griffin Matthews, Tiffany Mann, Jeremy Pope, Jamard Richardson, Nicolette Robinson, Adeola Role, Conor Ryan, Jamar Williams
Open/Close Dates
Opening 10/31/2015
Closing 12/27/2015
Box Office
212-246-4422
Theatre Info
Second Stage Theatre
307 West 43rd Street
New York, NY 10036
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