The Goodman Theatre
170 N Dearborn St
312.443.3800
This event has passed.
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The Emperor Jones
- When
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Jan 7, 2009 – Jan 11, 2009
Daily
- Where
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- Price
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$45
- Links
For 30 years, the Wooster Group has pushed the envelope of contemporary theater with innovative multimedia productions and radical deconstructions of well-known plays. Its acclaimed reinvention of Eugene O'Neill's The Emperor Jones is no exception. Written in 1920, the Nobel laureate's tale of a train porter who becomes the delusional despot of a tropical island serves as a scathing reflection on how the creeping effects of history shape individual character. The Wooster Group refracts the play in challenging, purposeful ways, to startling effect; most notably, Kate Valk assumes the title role of Brutus Jones, switching genders and appearing in blackface. A risky bet, for sure, but the New York Times described her performance as "riveting, haunting, altogether astonishing."
