Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp through the Cotton Patch (★★★★☆) is a complete con artist and long-winded orator. He’s got the best intentions.
He even says so himself towards the end of this cleverly conceived play: “Believe me! I ain’t never in all my life told a lie I didn’t mean to make come true some day!”It’s hard to argue with such logic.
Besides, there is a world of difference between telling a lie in order to seek justice and freedom versus the cruelty and inhumanity of a single human lording ownership over another.It’s not challenging, however, to praise Director Kenny Leon and his marvelous cast.
The first-rate Broadway revival of this comedy since it originally ran in the early ’60s is something to behold.Debonair, smooth-talking Purlie has returned to his small country town in Georgia with a single provident purpose in mind. “My intention is to buy Big Bethel back, to reclaim the ancient pulpit of Grandpaw Kincaid, and preach freedom in the cotton patch,” Purlie tells Missy (Heather Alicia Simms), his sister-in-law.
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