Tanya Batson-Savage, Freelance Writer
WHO WILL Sing for Lena is an ambitious one-woman play written by Janice Lee Lidell which tries to tell the story of Lena Baker, who had the unfortunate fate to be the only woman put to death by the electric chair in Georgia, United States of America. Makeda Solomon as Lena and Fae Ellington (director) combined efforts to bring this story to life.
Often engaging and occasionally graphic, Who Will Sing for Lena was staged at the Dennis Scott Studio Theatre, Edna Manley College for the Visual and Performing Arts last weekend. Its most striking feature is Solomon's range and skill as an actor.
MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE
Lena Baker was violently introduced to death in 1945 after she killed her employer, who also doubled as her abuser. Who Will Sing for Lena attempts to show that Baker's death was a grave miscarriage of justice, brought about because of the racist nature of Georgia. It therefore allows her to give her own account of how her life unfolded to show that it was at worst manslaughter and therefore not a capital crime.
However, Lidell still makes Baker culpable for her actions and therefore believing her complete innocence is a little troubling. Though Baker often asks the question "what was I supposed to do?", suggesting that fate propelled her forward, her actions are really quite questionable, especially if one disposes of sentimentality.
The nature of the production is also a part of what muddies the issue of Baker's innocence or guilt.
A one-woman (or man for that matter) show is an extremely challenging piece of theatre. The actor has no one else on the stage to feed them energy or a forgotten line. If they falter they take the show with them; they are the show. Solomon rose to this challenge beautifully, especially as she had to play characters other than Lena Baker in the production. To that end, the production was superb.
On the other hand, the intimate attention makes a one-woman show a great vehicle for a directorial debut (and this is Ellington's). One can concentrate energies on a single actor and use any means necessary to get that actor to portray your directorial vision. Ellington was largely successful. However, choices in use of music may have gone toward giving greater emotional depth. The very name of the production speaks to the African-American tradition to sing their stories, when no other format was available.
Additionally, what's missing from the production is a clear picture of the miscarriage of justice on which it pivots. Though we are told that the trial was over quickly, we are not truly made privy to what really happened at the trial. Seeing the bias of jurors and how they ignore what is right and legal is a part of what clinches stories like To Kill a Mockingbird.
Yet, though this production cannot change Lena Baker's fate, at least her story is told.
