Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Debbie Allen helms an unfussy and sturdily-acted Broadway revival of August Wilson’s JOE TURNER’S COME AND GONE

• By drediman
• May 4, 2026
• No Comments

My 2025/2026 Broadway theatergoing season officially came to a close when I recently attended the highly anticipated revival of August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. As with most of the other works in Wilson’s monumental ten-play cycle chronicling the African American experience — the revered playwright ambitiously penned plays set in each decade of the 20th century — this second entry in the sprawling series is located in the city of Pittsburgh, more specifically in a halfway house in the year of 1911. Owned by Seth and Bertha Holly, the hospitality operation hosts the comings and goings of a diverse array of characters, many of them in the midst of and navigating through some sort of transition in their respective lives.

The production has been directed by great Debbie Allen, who has crafted an unfussy and sturdily-acted staging that focuses squarely on the text, regarded by many as one of Wilson’s most potent. There’s an appealing casualness in the way this revival unfolds, imbuing the proceedings with an organic, lived-in quality that ultimately serves the play beautifully. Indeed, although the approach sometimes leads to a lack of dramatic tension and static tableaus, it nevertheless manages to temper the play’s tonal swings as it shifts its focus from character to character. As a result, the staging moves smoothly between Wilson’s famously captivating linguistic “arias” — which are particularly haunting in this play — and the ensemble bits. Additionally, the relative visual austerity of Allen’s production gives the play a mythic and timeless air, which smartly lends itself to Wilson’s occasional forays into the realm of the spiritual and mystical — aided by some atmospheric sound and lighting design work — thereby side-stepping any potential jarring awkwardness whenever the work turns from naturalism to poetic imagery.

Allen has also coaxed some rather fine performances from her starry and accomplished cast. As Seth and Bertha, respectively, Cedric the Entertainer and Taraji P. Henson bring ample warmth and good humor to their performances. Although neither are regulars on the boards of New York’s theater scene, both prove themselves to be complete naturals onstage. To boot, the chemistry between them and the playful affection they show each other is nothing less than infectious throughout. Perhaps giving the most impressive performance of the bunch is veteran actor Ruben Santiago-Hudson in the key role of Bynum Walker, a portrayal that seethes with vitality and depth. Also worth mentioning is Joshua Boone, who is frighteningly intense as Herald Loomis, a maniacally driven man whose relentless quest to find his estranged wife forms the powerful backbone of the play.

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JOE TURNER’S COME AND GONE
Broadway, Play
Ethel Barrymore Theatre
2 hours, 30 minutes (with one intermission)
Through July 26