‘Jonquil’: Flawed but Worth a Look

“Jonquil” is the third entry in playwright Charles Fuller’s proposed cycle of six dramas (under the umbrella title “We”) concerning the black experience in the years from the end of the Civil War to the dawn of the 20th Century. The Negro Ensemble Company’s production is at Theatre Four in Manhattan, and early reviews seem to agree that, though flawed, the play is the strongest of the trio. (The first two, “Pince” and “Sally,” were staged by NEC in 1988.)

William A. Raidy in the Newark Star-Ledger called it a “curious work,” and though “it has been so simplistically, almost primitively drawn, with most of its characters dimensionless stereotypes, it is also a vastly moving social document.”

The play concerns the rape and beating of a respected South Carolina black woman by Klan-gowned whites because she refuses to vacate her valuable land. The eventual emergence of her husband as a force in the attempt to right the wrongs against blacks and the conflict with a hypocritical white judge is the fulcrum Fuller uses to evolve his historical drama, and Raidy says “his tapestry of the savagery of Reconstruction days is a play of great power . . . despite its obvious flaws, a history lesson come to life.”

In the New York Times, Mel Gussow felt “Jonquil” was “not yet a finished work. A tentativeness in some of the characterizations and in (director) Douglas Turner Ward’s production lessens Mr. Fuller’s argument.” Gussow also called “Jonquil” the “sturdiest of the plays to date (but) the production is schematic.” He said the play is “a sign that, as it proceeds, ‘We’ is advancing.”

The Post’s Jerry Tallmer “admired all the acting” but wished “director Ward would cut down a little on the shouting.” Drew Fetherston of Newsday found “there are costs to making a short play so rich in detail . . . things occasionally simply stop to permit talk” but that further work on the piece would be of benefit: “The crucial problems (Fuller) understands so well surely deserve the extra investment.”

Investors in Broadway’s “M. Butterly,” which closes today at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre after 777 performances and nine previews have plenty to sing about. They have made a profit of more than $1.5 million said spokesman John Springer--or a 100% profit on their investment, according to co-producer Stuart Ostrow. The Tony award winner (1988), written by Los Angeles playwright David Henry Hwang is the longest-running Broadway drama since that other Tony award-winner (1981), “Amadeus.”

“The subtext for me,” Ostrow said, “is that, properly done, serious plays can make money.”

The competition for long-run honors is getting heavier. While the Theater Lab of the Kennedy Center in Washington celebrated the 1,000th performance last week of the comedy whodunit “Shear Madness,” the original Boston company will mark its 10th anniversary Monday, with Jose Ferrer, Geoffrey Holder and Gwen Verdon on hand to help applaud the hit’s 4,149th performance. It was originally scheduled for 31 performances.

You never know.