Fireflies--One of the Best Plays of the Current Season

Donja R. Love’s first play in his trilogy, “Sugar in Our Wounds, ” told a moving and carefully optimistic tale about a slave on a plantation reading about possible freedom and his love for another male slave. His second “Fireflies” is a heart wrenching two character work at the Atlantic Theater Company. Magnificently acted and delicately directed by Saheem Ali, there are scenes almost too painful to bear and others that have such a rare and tender beauty you are consumed in every part of it Easily, one of the best new plays of the current season. 

        Taking place in the segregated south in the difficult times of 1963 Olivia (DeWanda Wise) and her civil rights activist husband Charles (Khris Davis) appear to be very much in love. They dabble in small talk with sexual innuendos that have both smiling. Yet, there is an undercurrent of instability in their marriage and especially emotional issues with Olivia. Both she and Charles are devastated by the recent Baptist church bombing in which four young girls are killed. She cannot seem to get out of her mind what the explosion must have been like and throughout the play you hear the bombing and the lighting up of the sky (excellent sound design by Justin Ellington and projections by Alex Basco Koch). Her husband who is always traveling helping out causes has to give the sermon at the funeral for these young girls and naturally finds it an impossible feat. 

Slowly, things start to unravel. Charles is unsure how to deal with his wife and her problems are compounded by what she perceives to be his infidelities. She has a clever way to discover if indeed he is seeing other women on his travels. What makes her situation even more difficult is coming to grips with her own sexuality while deciding whether to keep the child she is pregnant with. There is a beautiful scene which I will not divulge that has to do with letters that is incredibly poignant in such a delicate way. 

What makes this show, which thankfully does have a hopeful ending,  even more distressing is that we are at a time when there was little help for those suffering emotionally. And for a black couple living in the south it is further compounded. Where especially did an African-American woman go to discuss her issues without being believed or shamed. 

The performances are glowingly alive. Davis who was superb in “The Royale” is equally wonderful here  both caring and bombastic unsure how to deal with his wife while wrestling with his own issues. There is no doubt he loves her but just comforting her when she hears those ominous bombs is  not enough. Wise is stunning as she portrays a nerve jangling Olivia whose only way of coping is reading the letters from a friend which give her the sustenance she needs to face life. Her portrayal is simply mesmerising holding on while sorrow pervades every very being. 

Ali directs tis emotionally potent work by Love with great deft and feeling. You come away exhausted but know that Olivia is going to somehow make it. Or, at least, you certainly hope so. 

Tickets are available at the Atlantic Theater Company/Linda Gross Theater 336 West 20th Street or by calling 866.811.4111.

PHOTOS: JOAN MARCUS