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by Colin Taylor with Alison Sealy-Smith,

directed by Colin Taylor

Obsidian Theatre Company, Enwave Theatre, Toronto

February 22-March 4, 2007

Austin Clarke’s multiple award-winning novel The Polished Hoe of 2002 might seem ideal for the stage since it consists almost entirely of a dialogue between two people over a 24-hour period.  Yet, while Clarke’s novel is free to meander for nearly 500 pages to build up background, a play must quickly get to the point.  On stage Colin Taylor’s adaptation comes off as both frustrating and dull.

In 1952 police have been summoned to the Bellfeels plantation on the island of Bimshire (i.e., Clarke’s native Barbados) to take the statement of Mary Mathilda (Alison Sealy-Smith), longtime black mistress of the white Mr. Bellfeels.  As in the novel, the “incident” or “act” that occurred is not clear until the very end since Mary wants to talk about everything except what she did and the Sergeant (Tony Thompson) doesn’t want to learn anything that might tarnish the reputation of the community’s most admired woman.  The result is that, except for the “act,” the two discuss miscellanea they already know and the tension level is nil.

With secondary characters reduced to saying only “Yes” or “No,” it would have been better if Taylor had reconfigured the novel as a monologue for the wonderful Sealy-Smith to an invisible sergeant.  That way, we might at least be more engaged with Mary’s narrative and perhaps feel more complicit in her actions.            

©Christopher Hoile

Note: A version of this review appeared in Eye Weekly 2007-03-01.

Photo: Tony Thompson and Alison Sealy-Smith