June 26- July 2, 2003
"FIGHTING SLAVERY WAS HIS HOLY MISSION"
By Linda Armstrong
There is a powerful, intense piece playing at St.
Marks-in-the-Bowery, "Trumpet of Freedom: The Saga of
John Brown". This production is a graphic,
mesmerizing show written by George Wolf Reily and
Norman Thomas Marshall, who gives a passionate
performance that carries your attention in this well
scripted one-man show.
The audience learns early on that Brown was a
religious man. He viewed his being an abolishionist-
fighting against and often killing those who supported
Black slavery in the U.S. during the mid-1800's- as
his mission from God.
The story begins with Brown in his prison cell just
before he is to be hanged for his abolishionist
activities. As he writes a farewell letter to his
fellow abolishionists, he recounts all the events and
people he encountered along his way to preparing to
die a martyr. He speaks of Harriet Tubman as the
"greatest general- bravery personified". He also
recalls a disturbing event that first opened his to
the evils of slavery.
At the age of twelve, Brown is visibly moved and upset
when he witnessed a white family, whom he is visiting,
proceed to starve, beat and humiliate their own Black
slave, a boy about Brown's age, who is chained to a
pole in their yard. He listens in horror to the head
of this family explain that "Niggers are two-legged
mules."
Some years later, Brown began his mission to fight
against Black slavery.
The story from Reily and
Marshall gives an in-depth picture of Brown's life and
his committment to a cause that cost him his life.
Marshall brilliantly portrays not only Brown but also
Tubman and many other characters. He shows a great
deal of versatility as he renders captivating
performances of several people, including Colonel
Washington, a white slave owner who was held hostage
when Brown and nineteen men captured Harpers Ferry in
Virginia, the act that led to his being defeated,
captured, sentenced and executed.
The playwrights give the story both a stinging bite of
reality, and a calming dignity, interweaving Brown's
singing of verses from various gospel songs throughout
the script, hence always reminding us that, for this
character, this was a holy war.
Marshall puts no limits on his performance, and goes
so far as to place his head in a noose and sway, as if
being hung. When the character is dead, he
triumphantly sings "Glory, Glory Hallelujah."