Marti Gobel’s ‘Neat’ is Bold, Audacious, Sometimes Humorous

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Photo via Renaissance Theaterworks

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This past week in Milwaukee two longtime theater companies opened shows that put the spotlight on female actors and social justice causes.

The first to open, The Way She Spoke, gives voice to hundreds of silent victims who endured horrific crimes. Told through the perspective of actor Michelle Lopez-Rios, who returned to Milwaukee to be a part of Isaac Gómez’ play, The Way She Spoke takes online viewers into the harsh world that exists within a Mexican border town. Milwaukee Chamber Theatre presents this important work.

A few days later, one of Milwaukee’s best-known storytellers, Marti Gobel, repeated her tour-de-force production of Neat in this newly created online version. Gobel first performed Charlayne Woodard’s coming-of-age story in 2012. Aside from a few gray hairs on Gobel’s head, this production is virtually indistinguishable from the live production seen by this reviewer in 2012.

It should be noted that both of these productions feature not only a female cast, but female directors and, in many cases, production designers and stage managers as well. They can be viewed on demand through April 11.

Following Neat’s original Milwaukee run at Renaissance Theaterworks, it went on an acclaimed South African tour. Now, local audiences (as well as those from all over the world) can experience the bold, audacious and sometimes humorous exploits of Charlayne and her family.

The main character is Charlayne’s beloved Aunt Beneatha, whom the family calls Neat. The play focuses on social inequities that begin when Neat was only an infant. In need of immediate medical care, Neat was turned away from the nearest “white” hospital. The extra time it took for Neat to reach appropriate medical care resulted in permanent brain damage.

One of the most joyful episodes in this 90-minute show is when five-year-old Charlayne and her younger sister travel from Albany, NY to spend summers in Georgia with Neat, her mother and grandmother. Without laptops or TV to distract them in the late 1950s, the girls (and their older aunt) manage to have all sorts of adventures. As Gobel reminds the audience, “it just doesn’t get any better than this.”

Without using costumes or props (aside from a chair), Gobel creates a total of 24 characters during the play. She is completely spot-on when playing 5-year-old Charlayne. The girl adores her 17-year-old aunt. After all, who wouldn’t want an aunt who behaves like a peer? Through her evolving body language and changing her vocal pitch, Gobel becomes not only members of Charlayne’s family, but those who live in their world: school teachers, preachers, church ladies, neighbors, boyfriends, etc. Throughout the show, Gobel is dressed casually. She wears a simple pullover top, jeans and short boots (costume by Amy Horst).

Although the family dynamic shifts as Charlayne grows up, she still learns life lessons from her Aunt Neat. One of Neat’s questions about her own ancestry sparks Charlayne to get answers from a state university library. She is shocked to learn that slavery lasted in this country for 300 years—much longer than the three pages it gets in her local history book.

As Charlayne builds her literary repertoire of African-American writers, she begins to wonder why these writers aren’t represented in her own high school library. A push for inclusion goes horribly awry, due to white school officials and the police.

As her internal identity begins to shift, Charlayne swaps her “flip” hairstyle for an Afro and ditches her bell bottoms for handmade dashikis. Her raised social consciousness is met with mixed reactions by her family. As usual, it is Neat who champions Charlayne’s choices.

As the story unfolds, Gobel’s slight figure glides all over the stage of Next Act Theatre. This is where Renaissance Theaterworks will perform once pandemic restrictions are lifted. Several onstage platforms are used creatively to define scenes, just as musical interludes and momentary blackouts do likewise. (Scenic design is by Lisa Schlenker, with lighting by Noele Stollmack.) The lone prop is a simple, red wood chair, which takes on many forms to help visualize the story. A hand-painted backdrop combines several abstract forms. One of these colorful figures suggests a Black woman emerging from a flower.

Occasionally, Gobel lifts her voice in song—sometimes it’s gospel music, and sometimes it’s one of Diana Ross’ greatest hits. Gobel has a strong, lyrical voice. The background music and other sounds are provided by Chris Guse.

Thanks in no small part to Artistic Director Suzan Fete’s smart direction, the story lifts the viewer and carries him along this remarkable journey. The self-discovery Charlayne makes during the 1960s still resonates today in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement. Although many of those who sparked recent protests aren’t alive to tell their stories, thankfully Charlayne Woodard is around to tell hers. Those who missed the first go-round of this show would be wise to not make the same mistake again.

Neat continues on demand through April 11. Some days feature cast and director talkbacks. To purchase online tickets, visit the Renaissance Theaterworks website.