From time to time a critic I know may opt to weigh in on a show that I have not been able to see.
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For its first 25 minutes, FAIRVIEW--receiving its Los Angeles premiere Saturday night at Rogue Machine--seems a straightforward sit-com about a black family a la Tyler Perry. Overwrought mother preparing a "perfect" birthday dinner for her mother who is napping upstairs while the unruly clan gathers with all the attending chaos. At a point, the pretense is suddenly broken and the sit-com format evolves (explodes really) into a grab bag of ideas, inspiring thought about what it is to be black in the US, gender fluidity--men playing women--, racial fluidity--white characters playing black characters--as well as THEATRE fluidity; reminiscent of many great free form jazz performances (with extremely tight choreography and cues) like THE ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO. I wouldn't call it a "play" per se, but more of an experience--the choice for Rogue Machine to present I wholeheartedly support as someone who thinks this IS a valid direction for theatre to go in. Some of those choices are challenging, some amusing, some frivolous and some mystifying. The cloth is all there even if the suit doesn't quite fit in a normal fashion. Let's compare it to a flight when one of the airplane's engines suddenly goes out and you're not sure where (or if) you're landing. Wherever you end up, it certainly isn't going to be the destination you thought you were going to. But it's a fascinating and unexpected voyage. I never had that grim "this is three hours of my life I'll never get back" feeling as I sometimes do watching straighter (and more predictable) plays. The actors are all universally excellent and dedicated to the task at hand. As is the director Oz Scott. As is Rogue Machine as a producing entity. Without that total commitment on all sides, this piece would not work. It's certainly a theatre Experience you won't have every day.
A. Mutt
March 16, 2026
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