THE HANGOVER REPORT – Ife Olujobi’s unpinnable new play JORDANS explodes racial and gender politics at the workplace

The company of the Public Theater’s production of “Jordans” by Ife Olujobi (photo by Joan Marcus).

Currently at the Public Theater, you’ll find the debut of Ife Olujobi’s Jordans. Set in a fancy rentable New York studio, the unpinnable new play tells the story of two Black employees — not so coincidentally, both are named Jordan (no spoilers here) — who must navigate and unpack race and gender politics at the workplace. As such, Olujobi’s work makes for a fascinating companion piece to Suzan-Lori Parks’ spiky play Sally & Tom, which is also currently running at the Public (you can read my review of that piece here).

Olujobi’s play starts off mildly satirically, taking generic stabs at the problems facing Black employees in predominantly White workplaces. However, as the work unfolds, it takes on an increasingly surreal tone. It’s during this stylistic transition that the play gets more interesting, taking jarring turns that had me leaning in. Jordans ultimately ending in a wave of outrageous violence that at once calls to mind the Kill Bill films, as well as the shocking Act One closer of Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ 2015 Pulitzer Prize Finalist Gloria. As a revenge play, however, the piece doesn’t articulate the underlying rage quite as I’d clearly like, relying instead on subtext to convey the mounting tension.

The Off-Broadway production has been directed by Whitney White (who is deservedly Tony-nominated this season for her directorial work on MTC’s mounting of Jaja’s African Hair Braiding by Jocelyn Bioh), who gives the piece a staging as sleek as the high-end studio in which it’s set. Across the board, the performances are caustic, puffing out stereotypes — particularly White stereotypes — pointedly. The play’s central performance as one of the Jordans belongs to the multi-tasking Naomi Lorrain, whose journey from mousy receptionist to psychopath is both chilling and cautionary.

RECOMMENDED

JORDANS
Off-Broadway, Play
The Public Theater
2 hours, 20 minutes (without an intermission)
Through May 19

Categories: Off-Broadway, Theater

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