Ayanna Prescod The djembe drum is the sacred heartbeat of West Africa, a powerful instrument conveying messages of struggle and liberation for African people.
Traditionally used by griots to connect history and culture to younger generations, the djembe is at the center of the Public Theater’s production of “The Visitor” — but in this new musical by the Pulitzer-winning duo behind “Next to Normal,” Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, the drum’s historical context goes unacknowledged and its purpose gets corrupted.
The musical feels like a slap in the face.With a book by Kwame Kwei-Armah and direction by Daniel Sullivan, “The Visitor” adapts Tom McCarthy’s 2007 film of the same name.
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