Challenges of Life
The scene Richmond April 1865 just after Lee’s surrender and Passover is about to begin. The “Whipping Man” is a three man play that takes place during the Civil War. Simon, Caleb and John all have to face fears, regrets and inner demons. There are characters the audience never sees but play a lot into the play. Elizabeth and Sarah the wife and daughter of Simon, Mr. and Mrs. DeLeon the father and mother of Calab and the whipping man.
Caleb played by Brett Gentile is a Jewish Confederate soldier and the owner of two former slaves John and Simon. After a long journey, he finally makes it back home, only to discover that everybody is gone but Simon. With Simon by his side Calab feels as if he is safe but shortly after because of the bullet wound in his leg Simon must amputate it. All the horrors that Calab has suffered from the war, leads him to give up on his faith, only relying on his hopes of coming home to his beloved Sarah and family. The love that Calab has for Elizabeth really shined in his monologue, the tears and sadness in his voice made my eyes water. It’s the only kind of love a girl dreams of.
The character that I can truly relate to the most is Simon played by John W. Price. Who is the caretaker for everybody. If it wasn’t for him Calab and John would fall apart. Family and faith is something that means the most to Simon. No matter what obstacles and conditions they faced he always believed that God would bring them through it. The moment when he finds out that his family was sold he outraged and I could feel all the anger that was coming from within him. Simon is a strong character with a lot of patience.
My favorite character was John played by Jeremy Decarlos. From the time he stepped on the stage he held my full attention. I felt everything that he felt moment to moment. He acting was perfection and heart stopping. John is a funny character but behind all the jokes there is a lot of pain hurt and sorrow. The scene that really made my heart just throb was when he talked about his first visit to the whipping man. The pain that he suffered I could never imagine experiencing. He paints the most vivid picture in my head as he describes the position he was placed in to the whip that was used to whip him.
The sound effects and setting of the play really helped all of it come to life. From the way they lit the candles to the brightening and darkening the stage. The effects that shocked and amazed me was Caleb’s infected leg it sent chills down my spine and the way Simons whipped back looked made my skin crawl. Things were torn and broken so you could really get the image that the town is disserted. The furniture looked burnt and ragged. My most favorite part is that the stage was really close to the audience, made you feel like you were a part of the whole thing.
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