Hedy Weiss: Theater Reviews
‘Primary Trust’ is a Moving Tale of How One Lonely Man Ultimately Finds Himself: Review
(L-R) Charles Andrew Gardner and Namir Smallwood in “Primary Trust” at the Goodman Theatre. (Liz Lauren)
As you will discover while watching “Primary Trust” — Eboni Booth’s deeply moving 2024 Pulitzer Prize-winning play that is now receiving its Chicago premiere at the Goodman Theatre — the work’s title very cleverly captures multiple meanings.
Not only does that title draw on the name of a bank that becomes part of the story, but it also suggests the complex emotional life of its principal character, Kenneth. His beloved mother died when he was very young — a loss that left him in a deeply troubled emotional state marked by a serious lack of social interaction. And it is all these problems that are ideally captured in a superb performance by Namir Smallwood, an actor who commands the stage throughout the show’s 90 minutes. Further complicating things for Kenneth is the fact that he is Black, and he lives in a predominantly White town outside of Rochester, New York.
Scarred by both the loss of his mother and his subsequent years in some sort of miserable home for orphans, Kenneth was clearly a profoundly reserved and unhappy fellow. What saved him for the first 20 or so years was that he had a job working in a bookstore in which he was treated warmly by its owner, Clay (ideally played by Fred Zimmerman). But then came more pain as a major change took place. The somewhat aging Clay had to sell his shop and head elsewhere for serious surgery.
Now, with no job in what had served as a kind of safe home, this lost and lonely young man spent most of his evenings sipping mai tais at a local tiki bar while chatting with Bert (Charles Andrew Gardner), who, as we learn quite a bit later in the play (and quite surprisingly), was Kenneth’s imaginary and far more self-confident drinking companion.
(L-R) Namir Smallwood and Charles Andrew Gardner in “Primary Trust” at the Goodman Theatre. (Liz Lauren)
Emotionally lost and lonely and desperate to find his next job, Kenneth finally (and quite unexpectedly) is hired as a teller in the local Primary Trust Bank. He is interviewed by Sam (a role also played by the spot-on Zimmerman), who somehow senses his potential and proceeds to put his trust in the lost soul. And as Kenneth (now in his late 30s) gradually begins to work as a banker, he starts to open up a bit. He even begins to deal with a wide array of customers — all deftly and playfully played by Christiana Clark, who also takes on the roles of a waiter and a woman who comes on to Kenneth in her way.
Booth’s play is expertly cast and directed by Malkia Stampley in what marks her impressive Goodman directing debut. It also features a stunning set design by Lex Liang that takes the form of a vast backdrop that captures the face of what might be Kenneth’s mother (or even Kenneth himself) with a cluster of small, almost toy-like buildings on the stage to suggest the town where he lives.
Yvonne Miranda’s costumes deftly capture all the characters’ personalities. And composer and musician Mike Przygoda (backed by Brandon Reed) provide the show’s sound in a way that sets the mood of a time before the arrival of cellphones.
“Primary Trust” runs through Nov. 3 at the Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn St. For tickets, visit goodmantheatre.org/primary or phone 312-443-3800.
Note: Coming up next at the Goodman is its annual production of “A Christmas Carol” (Nov. 16-Dec. 30), with Jessica Thebus returning for her fifth season as director of the show. Christopher Donahue will take on the role of Ebenezer Scrooge for the first time, with Kate Fry as the narrator, Anthony Irons as Bob Cratchit, Bri Sudia as the Ghost of Christmas Present and Ava Rose Doty as a new Tiny Tim.
And one final note: 2025 will mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Goodman Theatre. Plans to celebrate are in the works.
Follow Hedy Weiss on Twitter: @HedyWeissCritic
