The Mountaintop: An Early Review

Last night, I had the pleasure of experiencing The Mountaintop, a new play written by Katori Hall, based on the last night of Martin Luther King's life, and starring Samuel L. Jackson and Angela Bassett. The show is currently in it's 9th night of previews here in NYC (@ the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre), so it would be unfair to write a critical review, as plays and musicals in the preview stages generally work out their kinks during this process. That said, I'll just stick to the basics and say that aside from sitting four rows away from two of our most treasured and iconic figures in the acting world while not getting distracted, that the version I saw was pitch perfect.

The action takes place in one act, without intermission, in a room at the now infamous Lorraine Hotel in Memphis, where in the beginning, Dr. King is pondering over the details of an upcoming speech. In walks a fictitious maid named Camae, and an inevitable dance of sexual flirtation fused with threads of cultural rules, manners and attitudes, all invoked with a modern vernacular. Simply put, Dr. King smoked (Pall Malls), drank and cussed and loved him some sex, y'all! There's even a reference to cell phones; don't ask me how this works, but believe me, it does. Much has been written about his alleged sexual proclivities, with even some hints of bisexuality, which humanized him, for me, anyway. The just released personal tapes of former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy hints at some of these allegations, and it is well known that the FBI kept a file on him. It soon becomes apparent that Camae is there for a reason; is she a figment of his imagination? His alter ego personified? Or is she a spv? I won't reveal the answer here, but when it is revealed, it's a stunner, and at that point, Bassett turns in a Tony-worthy performance that will have you clapping and hollering!

This is SamJack's first stage performance, but like everything else he does, the performance seemed effortless. He peppers his dialogue with Dr. King's vocal inflections at the right times and while at first I couldn't get past the fact that SAM was up there on the stage, I soon got past it as he melded into his character. All of his classic deadpans and sardonic wit is on display, so you will not be disappointed!

After previews, the show will run for 16 weeks, and I predict a sell-out, so get with this show if you can.