Troy Was Framed
He spent time in jail as a youth, worked in cotton fields, was one of almost a dozen children.
Troy begot a male child in his twenties, and later, after a stint in the penitentiary, found a new woman, with whom he repeated the same exercise.
His new son became his challenge, to play high school football and probably gain a college scholarship, or opt for a job at the nearby A&P supermarket. Troy demanded his son take the latter. This difference in ambitions gave rise to conflict within the family.
Troy ‘s a habitual drinker, and demands submission from wife and son, no questions asked. Reminds you of anyone you know? Then that day came when Troy had to tell his loving wife he had fathered another child, with a woman he just had to have. The woman later died in childbirth, and Troy was left to care, for “baby girl”. The wife was mad, could “kill” Troy, but could not turn her back on the infant.
Whatever happened thereafter? Did Troy see a psychiatrist? Did his son pull a gun on him for his misdeeds? Was there a family reunion? And what about “baby girl”?
This is about FENCES (August Wilson). I t could be hard for a black man to sit through this play, and not go through a series of emotions: anger, disgust, hatred. Ask questions of Troy, why did you do that? “Dummy!”
Black men who have gone through Troy’s timeline, may be outraged in seeing themselves portrayed in this play, or make silent vows to reconsider how to handle life;to bring their children to see, how not to behave with family. Troy had fences he unknowingly built to keep himself behind, and many fences, him being too old to jump over. He was framed. See what happens to Troy, at the Everyman Theatre, through November.(Photos by Stan Barouh)
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