News > Piccolo Spoleto 2015 Review: No Child

PURE Theatre was transformed into Malcolm X High School, a public high school in the Bronx, filled with tired teachers, rowdy students, a strict principal, and a hopeful teaching artist. On a stage so full of people there was only one performer, Joy Vandervort-Cobb.

Written by young teaching artist Nilaja Sun, the story sheds light into an inner city Bronx public school whose tenth grade class is thought to be the worst in the school as they have been through five teachers in seven months. No Child is a play within a play within a play. A much loved janitor, Mr. Baron, narrates the play, and Ms.
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Sun is a teaching artist who teaches the class for six weeks where they learn about theater. The students analyze and perform Timberlake Wertenbaker’s play, Our Country’s Good, a play where criminals have more to offer in life and make their own life choices.

Joy created an environment where it felt like there was more then one actress on the stage. Her ability to switch characters so fast, by turning her body or creating a recognizable persona and voice for each character, allowed for the audience to understand and remember each character without physically seeing an actor dressed up. The students banter during class is portrayed without a pause as Joy skips from character to character, bringing different voices, body postures, attitudes, and spirits with each one. Although she is the only one on stage, the personalities of the others linger so that the audience can almost envision a full room and the madness that ensues. Although witty and funny, this play has a much deeper meaning when Ms. Sun realizes her impact on the students as well as their situation when tragedy strikes. The play addresses the public school system’s faults of the past 30 years, and the lack of money, issue of standardized tests, need of genuine care towards students, and the influence of neighborhoods on education.
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The intimacy of Pure Theatre creates an environment that was personal and close. Go see Joy play 16 characters in No Child and for the full effect sit in the front row. Her last performance is on June 4 at 8 pm. Tickets

words: Rachel McDermott
images courtesy Piccolo Spoleto