Tambo & Bones

by Dave Harris

From Minstrel Clowns to Rap Stars ~~Tambo & Bones is a provocative, genre-bending dark comedy following two Black characters trapped in a minstrel show who plot to "get out, get bank, and get even". The play satirizes America's racist history, present, and future through a journey from minstrelsy to hip-hop stardom and beyond, exploring the intersection of race, capitalism, and commodified pain.

Genres: Plays

76 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2023

Reviews

[Emily Herron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only is this play fantastic and thought provoking, but Harris has also created a reader experience for those reading the script. The stage directions add so much, and his voice really shines through.

[Lorma Doone · Rating 5 out of 5]

My #1 best and favorite experience in the theatre. A lovely reading experience as well. The playwright understands that stage directions can be art too.

[Jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can’t help but feel this play had a neat gimmick, an on the nose message, and yet nothing new to say that hasn’t already been said by better plays (I’m thinking of Pass Over by Antoinette Nwandu). The use of the robots felt clever at first, and there is a lot there to unpack about their meaning to the message, but then at some point, it felt lazy rather than earned. By the end, the playwright was definitely hoping we’d all be thinking about what he had to say in a certain way, but I walked away feeling like the overt nature of the message from the start of the show left me apathetic.

[Jules · Rating 5 out of 5]

„I am a real person“

Ich weiß nicht, ob ich überhaupt mental stabil genug wäre um das Stück live zu sehen, aber es ist so krass gut, clever und bewegend und heftig und ich weiß auch nicht. Keine Worte mehr

[Dobbs J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hope mr. harris reads this. I really liked his play :).

[Tiana Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very funny read and watch.