Emile Griffith is the sort of historical anomaly who should naturally inspire great dramas. Born poor on the Island of Saint Thomas in 1938, he was sexually abused by a male relative and abandoned by his mother when she became a sex worker—a development that so horrified him he pleaded for admittance to the local reformatory. At 15 he found his way to New York City and took a job in a hat factory, a natural fit as he’d been designing elaborate millinery for years. One hot day, so the legend goes, he asked for permission to work shirtless, and when the factory owner saw his rippling physique he ushered the teen to renowned boxing trainer Gil Clancy, who led Griffith to six world titles in two different weight classes.
But that clarity comes largely at the expense of complexity. For all the peripheral lyricism, both from the ensemble’s incantations and the elder Griffith’s tortured musings, Cristofer’s scenes contain little ambiguity or nuance; most tidily demonstrate a point or two, then evaporate so the next can do the same. He also simplifies a few facts unwisely. He has the factory owner become Griffith’s trainer, which strains credulity. And he makes Luis Griffith’s lover—which he may have been, but he was also Griffith’s adopted son. Still, the show delivers ample pathos and a host of riveting moments. Newell has done a masterful job keeping his cast reined in, allowing tiny gestures to speak volumes even when the script might invite grandiose emoting. While every performer shines, Kamal Angelo Bolden as the young Griffith mesmerizes for two hours. By turns childlike, sophisticated, tender, and menacing, he finds nuance where none seems to exist. It’s likely the performance of the season. v
Through 10/16: Wed-Thu 7:30 PM, Fri 8 PM, Sat 3 and 8 PM, Sun 2:30 and 7:30 PM Court Theatre 5535 S. Ellis 773-753-4472courttheatre.org $38-$68
