Opening in the National Theatre’s Lyttelton Theatre comes a powerful revival of Blues for an Alabama Sky written in 1995 by Pearl Cleage.  At the end of the first act, the cast sing “Dreams” which is really what the play is about, people’s dreams for their future.

It is the Summer of 1930 we are in Harlem at the North End of Manhattan Island. The excellent stage set designed by Frankie Bradshaw is a typical apartment block. Prohibition has been in place for 10 years. The area has become known for the “Harlem Renaissance” where people of any colour can come and drink and party, where black writers, artists and musicians could flourish. The Wall Street crash was the year before in 1929 and has affected those eking out a living here and diminishing the Renaissance as more people struggle economically.  As the play starts, we meet a very drunk Angel (Samira Wiley on her UK stage debut), a just fired night club singer, being helped by Guy (Giles Terera) an openly homosexual costume designer.  A stranger Leland Cunnningham, later to be known as Alabama (Osy Ikhile) helps Guy carry her back to his apartment.  We learn that Angel has had a series of men friends and her latest, an Italian has dumped her and married someone else.  “He’s no Gangster he’s a Businessman”  she says but he’s past tense.