INTERVIEW: ‘Blackbird,’ a story of trauma and survival, returns to NYC
Photo: Blackbird stars Melina Farahani and Miguel Perez. Photo courtesy of Diaspora House / Provided by RRR Creative with permission.
Blackbird, David Harrower’s powerfully resonant two-hander, made a splash on Broadway and around the world several years ago, and now a new production is returning to New York City, courtesy of Diaspora House. The play tells the story of Una (Melina Farahani), who decides to confront Ray (Miguel Perez), the man who abused her when she was young. The show, which plays Dec. 2-7 at Theatre Row, is directed by Tara Brown.
The work, which generates necessary conversations amongst audience members, will be accompanied by Q&A sessions and talkbacks, featuring nonprofit organizations that address sexual abuse, domestic violence and sex trafficking, according to press notes.
“I first came across it because I was actually auditioning for something in London for a theater company, and I got my acting coach to help me out with it,” Farahani said in a recent phone interview. “And he gave me this piece, and I just immediately fell in love with it.”
Farahani didn’t want her connection to Blackbird to begin and end with a two-minute audition. She was determined to produce the play anew, and that’s when she brought it to Diaspora House, where she serves as founder and artistic director.
“I was like, I have to make this happen,” she said. “It really was a positive connection of I want to do this. That’s how it came about. I feel like with the themes of the play, trauma doesn’t just disappear because time passes. Grooming is subtle, and it’s more common than we like to admit. I think as time goes by, I think the silence protects the predator, and it’s never the victim being protected or shining as much light as we’re supposed to on the victim’s side.”
Farahani is a believer that the theatrical environment is a solid place to hold conversations on these difficult, dark subjects. Audience members can have a visceral reaction to the proceedings, feeling and hearing the words of a survivor, rather than simply having these narratives play out in court cases alone.
“I think it’s just an open place, and it’s OK to be with the discomfort because they’re watching a play and [can] allow themselves to feel and breathe,” the actor said. “Regardless of the time that we do it, this could happen again. I hope not. I hope things resolve itself and it gets better.”
The rehearsals with Brown have been powerful for Farahani. They recently presented the production in Los Angeles, and the actor found the exploration of Harrower’s words to be intense and moving.
“Tara is incredible,” said Farahani, whose voice can be heard in Netflix’s The 7 Bears. “She is a previous ballerina and movement coach, and so the fight choreography that she has established and the movement that Miguel and I are doing really allows for all our emotions. She really uses us as vessels for these characters. I think she’s doing it in a very different way than I think most directors.”
Farahani added: “Miguel is phenomenal. I mean I don’t have to do much acting when I stand next to him. I just have to listen to him. He’s incredibly good, and the writing makes it so challenging. However, because of the way that David Harrower has written it, it allows for so much spontaneity. The language is so raw and real that it’s different every time because of the way we can say it and we can inhabit it. I mean I feel like it has to be different and authentic every night to serve the playwright the way he has written it because [otherwise] it just feels like a speech, reading it over and over again. And I think the movement work that we do with our director really helps it be more of a visceral feeling and different.”
Farahani has conducted a lot of research into the justice system and tried to better understand the survivor’s perspective. She has immersed herself in documentaries and podcasts on the subject matter, which has allowed her to feel like this production of Blackbird is doing something good and productive.
“I’m bringing this into awareness,” she said. “So regardless of how hard the rehearsal process is, it’s incredibly fulfilling to know that I’m giving a voice, or that I’m bringing the subject matter to life. And so the hard work doesn’t seem so hard.”
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Blackbird, starring Melina Farahani and Miguel Perez, plays Dec. 2-7 at Theatre Row in Midtown Manhattan. Click here for more information and tickets.
