Whipping Man

The Whipping Man by Matthew Lopez opened tonight at the Pacific Theatre. (www.pacifictheatre.org)  It plays till March 21. Tonight’s performance, directed by Anthony Ingram, starring Carl Kennedy as John, Giovanni Mocibob as Caleb and Tom Picket as Simon received a standing ovation from a packed audience.   A Jewish family at the end of the Civil War comes to terms with their own persisting imprisonment despite their apparent freedom.  Indeed family and freedom and man’s relationship to one another is metaphorically and literally explored in this profound play which revolves around slavery and the whipping man.  The parallel of the south and Egypt is as strongly drawn as the secrets and lies that persist between brothers and father’s, sons and daughters.  The drama was palpable. A truly remarkable night of threatre.
As Hannah said later, “we love this theatre as our date night because we’ve always so much to talk about after the play.”  Hannah was talking to me but looking at her beloved .  Their wedding is planned for next month.  Tom and Laura, my other friends there that night loved the play equally.
Ron Reed, the Pacific Theatre’s artistic director, mingled with the audience,  cast and crew in the lounge afterward.