We witness the constant shakiness of her life, the time the shotgun house ignites in flames, the abuse she suffers at the hands of a white man, and even the pangs of the at-home birth she gives to her child. Her midwife and mother, Ain't Baby (Arielle Leverett), helps execute the birth, magically, it seems, reversing this infant from leaving feet-first to head-first by applying some alchemically charged spittle to her daughter's navel. The moment adds to the texture of this region’s culture, in this writer’s opinion, which is already made lively by the accents, the music, and the set.
Lifeline Theatre Unfolds the Rough Adventure of a Modern Hero
There was an occasion or two in which this writer was confused as to who was playing who, given that each actress played multiple characters, as well as Holland at different stages of her life. Vocal strength and energy were never lacking in any of the three portrayals. A young version of Holland springing out of bed—a wood board with a sheet—charged with ebullience and innocent hopes sows true pathos in this woman’s arc. It is obtrusively sad when this elated Holland, marveling at the sheen of a white family’s floors, soon suffers her abuse when she is a mere cheery happy-go-lucky 11-year old. In this writer’s opinion, the performance is stylistically coarse and unpolished at times, which makes it truer to Holland’s real history.
