"Ti-Jean" More Than Meets the Eye

Under the guise of a simple tale of good versus evil, "Ti-Jean and His Brothers," the EMU Theater production opening tonight, tackles serious issues of cultural identity confusion and utilizes strong African rhythms and dance to present a truly unique show.

The play, written in 1958 by Derek Walcott, is a metaphorical story set in the Caribbean of three brothers who are challenged to a duel by the Devil. The terms are as follows: if the Devil can make the brothers angry, he will devour them into hell, but if the brothers can in turn provoke the Devil's wrath, they will be made wealthy.

Each of the two older brothers have a defining characteristic: Gros-Jean (played by Mary Sodano), the oldest, has a very powerful arm, while Mi-Jean (played by Michael Vincent Heatwole), the middle child, has an incredible intellect. However, Ti-Jean (played by Emily Hertzler), the youngest brother and "useless as a bone," is neither strong nor smart, but has common sense and is eager to take advice from his family as well as the animals (yes, there are talking animals in the play). Each of these characteristics is integral to how the brothers attempt to beat the Devil.

What initially sounds like a classic story of good versus evil actually has much deeper meaning. Walcott grew up in the Caribbean himself and constantly struggled with the issue of his identity because of his mixed (English and African) bloodline. In this play, Walcott creates metaphorical characters that confront these issues of identity and questions of where we fit in.

For example, the oldest brother represents Africa, being strong and set in tradition, while the middle brother represents Westerners, viewed as rational and intellectual. The youngest, in contrast, represents the Caribbean: a blending of the two cultures. In the end, after the older brothers have failed with their superior strength and intellect, only Ti-Jean is successful in beating the Devil. Walcott makes it very clear that a new Caribbean identity, characterized in Ti-Jean, is much more important than trying to assimilate an English or African identity, and ultimately much better. In addition to promoting issues of identity and racial struggles, this play brings a creative edge to EMU theater that has not been seen before. First, while the play is being put on in the large mainstage theater, it will maintain an intimate feel because the stage area will be completely surrounded by the audience. The set also has unusual aspects such as 12 tons of sand (on stage!) and an old, stripped-down car, which is the home of the Devil and the "mouth of hell."

Also, while the play is in no way a musical, music, singing, dancing, and percussion are a major part of the production. Pam Mandigo, Chris Esh, and Emi Oda are the percussionists/musicians, and use African drums, buckets, car rims, and pretty much anything that makes an appropriate tone. These "instruments" are used to accompany the songs in the play and create character theme songs and sound effects. While the author wrote in some drumming, the EMU production includes much more percussion as well as some vocalizations.

Director Heidi Vogel is extremely happy with the work that has been done by the cast and technical crew and praises the actors, many of whom are first-timers, as being "naturals" and doing a "fabulous job in some very challenging roles," such as Patrick Ressler, who plays an unborn fetus. She is especially excited about the roundhouse seating, saying, "So often the audience is removed from the production, but since the actors and audience are able to see each other, the performance becomes more communal and less passive."

Lead actor Kevin Ressler (playing the Devil) says that he has had a lot of fun with "Ti-Jean," especially because he has been able to work with his younger brother (Patrick Ressler) and best friend (Kate Baker, playing the mother) on their first acting experiences. He also comments, "What I love about this show is its removal from traditional Western narrative styles. It is fantasy and mythology and just plain fun, like children's stories."

"Ti-Jean and His Brothers" opens tonight and also plays March 23, 24, 29, 30, and 31, all at 7:30 p.m. in the mainstage theater in the University Commons. Tickets are available at the EMU Box Office (540-432-4582 or www.emu.edu/boxoffice), and each EMU student may receive one free ticket.