Review: Angry, Raucous and Shamelessly Gorgeous

Posted by Curtain Up! on Oct 21, 2025

Vintage Theatre’s current staging of Angry, Raucous and Shamelessly Gorgeous by Pearl Cleage, directed by Adrienne Martin-Fullwood, arrives with a title that promises fire and flair. What unfolds, however, is a quieter burn—one that flickers rather than blazes. The play itself, grounded in themes of legacy, art, and Black womanhood, favors a contemplative rhythm that forcefully guides its message.

The play centers on Anna Campbell (Colette Brown), a seasoned theatre artist returning to Atlanta after decades abroad, hoping to reclaim her legacy with a revival of her once-controversial performance piece. Accompanying her is her longtime friend and collaborator Betty Samson (Rav’n Moon), whose steady presence grounds Anna’s more tempestuous spirit. Their plans are complicated by the arrival of Precious “Pete” Watson (Nadiya Jackson), a young, ambitious performer chosen to reinterpret Anna’s work, and Kate Hughes (Kenya Mahogany Fashaw), Anna’s pragmatic agent, who must navigate the tensions between past ideals and present realities. As the women confront questions of artistic ownership, generational change, and the evolving language of activism, Angry, Raucous and Shamelessly Gorgeous becomes a meditation on legacy—what we pass down, what we protect, and what we’re willing to let evolve.

The ensemble of four Black women, Brown, Moon, Jackson, and Fashaw, brings warmth and presence to the stage, each performer carving out distinct emotional terrain. While there’s a noticeable tentativeness in pacing and delivery, particularly in the early scenes, the cast gradually finds its footing, allowing the relationships to deepen and the stakes to emerge. Their performances reflect care and commitment, and when the chemistry clicks, it reveals the play’s emotional undercurrents with clarity. Together, they offer a portrait of artistic legacy and personal reckoning that resonates beyond the script.

Under Adrienne Martin-Fullwood’s direction, the production leans into intimacy and reflection, favoring intimate exchanges over theatrical bravado. Her staging choices reflect an evident respect for Cleage’s themes, particularly the tension between legacy and reinvention—and she draws out moments of connection with care. While the overall dramatic arc unfolds gently rather than urgently, this approach allows the characters’ emotional journeys to take center stage. Martin-Fullwood’s direction highlights the play’s emotional core, offering a thoughtful lens through which audiences can engage with its generational dialogue and artistic reckoning.

Jeff Jesmer and Megan Davis’s set design provides a clean, versatile backdrop that subtly supports the play’s shifting tones. Holly Peterson Hurd’s costumes thoughtfully reflect each character’s generational identity and artistic sensibility. Emily Maddox’s lighting design adds warmth and focus, gently guiding the audience through moments of intimacy, tension, and transformation.

Pearl Cleage, one of America’s most prolific and socially attuned playwrights, has long illuminated the lives of Black women with nuance, wit, and emotional depth. Her acclaimed play, Blues for an Alabama Sky, showcases Cleage’s gift for blending activism with emotional depth, and her broader body of work continues to center the voices, struggles, and triumphs of Black women with clarity and compassion. Angry, Raucous and Shamelessly Gorgeous continues that legacy, offering Vintage Theatre a vibrant opportunity to engage with Cleage’s enduring themes of legacy and succession, artistic ownership, and the evolving language of empowerment.

Angry, Raucous and Shamelessly Gorgeous offers a lively opportunity to engage with Pearl Cleage’s signature blend of wit, wisdom, and generational dialogue. Under the direction of Adrienne Martin-Fullwood, Vintage Theatre’s production brings together a talented cast and a story that celebrates the power of Black women’s voices, artistic legacy, and the courage to evolve. Running through November 23, it’s a thoughtful and resonant evening of theatre—one that invites audiences to reflect, connect, and celebrate the beauty of brave storytelling.

Information and tickets: https://www.vintagetheatre.org/performances/angryraucous

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