Rasin' in the Sun - review

Reporter: by SAMIR YESLI
Date published: 12 February 2010


A spell-binding version of the Lorraine Hansberry classic

A Raisin in the Sun

Royal Exchange Theatre

Manchester

The opening night saw the cast receive a standing ovation after a mesmerising performance which had audience goers in tears.

The play, set in Chicago's South Side in 1959, sees the Younger family struggling against adversity in a racially divided America. The cast all delivered trailblazing performances, with especially moving roles from Starletta Dupois and Ray Fearon.

Starletta plays Lena Younger, a grandmother and head of the household, with ex Coronation Street star Ray taking the role of her son Walter Lee.

The main themes involve racial attitudes in 1950s America, trust, betrayal, ambition and how to maintain your dignity in the face of life's harsh realities.

The play was the first play written by a black woman to be produced on Broadway and turned out to be Lorraine Hansberry's most famous work before her tragic death from pancreatic cancer at the age of 34.

The director, Michael Buffong, reported that actors were moved to tears at auditions and it is an extremely captivating piece of work.

The play concludes the Winter Season at the Exchange and it is without doubt one of the most moving pieces of theatre that I have ever witnessed.