No Place to Be Somebody -- by Charles Gordone (1970)

Description
Playbill.com succinctly describes the show in the following sentence: "A black bartender attempts to outwit a white mobster syndicate in Charles Gordone's Pulitzer Prize-winning play." The play is self-described as "A Black-black Comedy." I am not sure I caught all of the comedy, nor would I categorize it as a comedy. The bleakness of the message unsettles the audience in the final monologue. Hope for a less-racist, more integrated world is not anticipated by Johnny Williams, the main character. Race relations are at the core of the verbal assaults the characters put each other through. Gabe Gabriel (wonderful name, if I do say so myself) serves as a type of narrator throughout the show. He delivers several monologues for the ages and ends the show with a lasting, haunting monologue. Conflicts throughout the show include prostitution, race relations, and the human condition (broad-sounding, I know). To explain the main plot line would ruin the intensity of the play. With that being said, the play is masterfully action-packed and must have been electrifying to witness. 

Watch a clip from the original production here.

Candid Reactions

• The audience is immediately engaged in the show with the direct address. 
• The stage directions seem pretty detailed. 
• "Fan me with a brick" (9) is one of the oddest idioms I have ever heard.
• Johnny believes that it is a major indication of racial equality for individuals of color to be respected teachers.
• What a long poem to recite!
• "Snowballs in Egypt" (11) -- HA!
• Interesting choice for Gabe to explain how the audience should interpret and not interpret the play. That decision itself is a statement. 
• Sweets must be a fun character to play!
• Classic dramatic irony moment with Sweets
• I wonder how much Johnny's anger and viewpoints reflects his community at that time period. Did his feelings resonate?
• That escalated quickly. So many confrontations in this play!
• Dee's description of Johnny is spot on. I bet the actress playing her was thrilled when she read that part for the first time. 
• Yes, intellectuals use the toilet. 
• Gabe's song about what it means to be black is a gold-mine for literary/social analysis. 
• WHOA. GIRL FIGHT.
• The following lines of dialogue summarizes Johnny's depressing belief:
• Johnny: You liberal-a** white people kill me! All the time know more 'bout wha's bes' for N***ers'n N***ers do.
• Mary Lou: You don't have to make the world any worse. 
• Johnny: Never had no chance to make it no better neither. (88) 

• Shanty shoulda had a V8.
• Gabe delivers numerous chilling lines. 
• What a devastating ending!

Top Two Aspects/Reasons for Winning

1. Racial Commentary

The interracial dialogue is rich and provocative. Interracial issues are addressed in a straightforward nature, which forces the audience to engage in thought. The play urges the audience to be more mindful of race relations. The play is set prior to the Civil Rights Movement, but the play was performed at the tail end of the Civil Rights Movement; therefore, the harsh outlook on the Movement's success challenges the audience.

2. Gabe's Monologues

As previously mentioned, these passages are incredibly dense.

Classroom Implications

I wouldn't teach this in high school, but its content and philosophies presented would be great reference points. Portions of the play might be good to use to teach action writing.

Personal Takeaway

People of color do not always agree on modes of advancement they desire to take for equal representation, pay, etc. (i.e. Washington/DuBois; Johnny/Gabe).

Ranking

	Dialogue	Characters	Plot/Conflict	Symbol/Literary Devices	Overall Enjoyment	TOTAL SCORE 7.0
0	Unfollowable; unrealistic; diction does not match character	Undeveloped; does not reflect humanity	Not engaging; predictable; reader can step away from text because it isn’t gripping	Devices are apparent for cleverness and do not enhance the story	Reader has no interest in re-reading play
1	Not consistently realistic	Well-developed; most depictions reflect humanity	Semi-engaging; some unnecessary plot-points (1.5)	Devices somewhat enhance story (1)	Reader would re-read with pleasure and reminded of work (1)
2	Realistic; connotative; diction matches characters (1.75)	Fully-developed; depictions reflect humanity (1.75)	Engaging; unique; reader finds it impossible to put down text because the conflict is so gripping!	Devices seamlessly enhance the story and provide rich interpretation	Reader would re-read the play on own volition, enthusiastically