Perhaps inspired by August Wilson's Century Cycle of plays exploring the
African-American experience, playwright Suzan-Lori Parks has created her own epic
sequence,
Father Comes Home From The Wars, that looks at the legacy of
slavery in America. It's a series of nine plays following a single family down the
centuries, and the Royal Court here presents Jo Bonney's original Off-Broadway
production of the first three in the sequence, with a largely British cast. These
three sections of the story take place during the American Civil War, and the
central figure is the dubiously-named Hero (Steve Toussaint,) whose master has
promised him his freedom if he serves with him in the Confederate Army. Part 1 opens
as the other slaves wait for day to break, taking bets on whether Hero will decide
to stay or go.
