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Is God Is / What to Send Up When It Goes Down
“Furious and incandescent… Harris writes so blisteringly that the actors could just let the language’s flames carry them along.” —Helen Shaw, Time Out New York on Is God Is
An explosive epic that examines the cyclical nature of violence, Is God Is follows twin sisters who undertake a dangerous journey to exact revenge upon their father at the behest of their dying mother.
“Aleshea Harris turns theater into a monument, ephemeral but real, to ongoing pain. You can’t tear down a statue that never shows up outside.” —Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker on What to Send Up... What to Send Up When It Goes Down is a play-pageant-ritual response to anti-Blackness in America. It is a challenge to us to heal through expression, expulsion, and movement.
An explosive epic that examines the cyclical nature of violence, Is God Is follows twin sisters who undertake a dangerous journey to exact revenge upon their father at the behest of their dying mother.
“Aleshea Harris turns theater into a monument, ephemeral but real, to ongoing pain. You can’t tear down a statue that never shows up outside.” —Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker on What to Send Up... What to Send Up When It Goes Down is a play-pageant-ritual response to anti-Blackness in America. It is a challenge to us to heal through expression, expulsion, and movement.
161 pages, Paperback
Published April 5, 2022
3 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 1, 2024
IS GOD IS
RACINE
How you figure that? We come from a man who tried to kill our mama and a mama who wants to kill that man. Iss in the blood.
ANAIA
I'ma be sick. I bet he just look like an ordinary man.
I used to dream about a lady in a fire and I didn't know why.
ohhhhhh absolutely crazy play. part biblical revenge story and part spaghetti western. reminded me immediately of hamlet because, uh, sometimes your dead/dying parent gets you into the cycle of violence. harris's writing is SO gutting and efficient and the relationship between racine and anaia made me fucking insane. anaia i love youuuuuuuuuuu. also like hamlet, this is one of those plays that makes you feel bad. as in, i turned the last page and i was like. jesus christ. my day might be ruined? highly recommend
WHAT TO SEND UP WHEN IT GOES DOWN
You know what I mean by "it," right?
"It" equals some terrible thing.
Some "bang-bang" thing.
Some wrong color thing.
The shit that don't stop.
Since it don't stop
we are always before and after it going down.
You feel me?
It happened yesterday and it will happen tomorrow
We find ourselves between the happenings.
no idea how to review this one and i don't think it's mine to review anyhow. part plays-within-plays, part monologue, part ritual of healing, part celebration of black life and power. i would really love to see this one; as beautifully-done as it is on the page, i can't imagine how it would feel to witness. definitely going to be on the lookout for more of harris's work (god i wish theater was easier to get one's hands on).
RACINE
How you figure that? We come from a man who tried to kill our mama and a mama who wants to kill that man. Iss in the blood.
ANAIA
I'ma be sick. I bet he just look like an ordinary man.
I used to dream about a lady in a fire and I didn't know why.
ohhhhhh absolutely crazy play. part biblical revenge story and part spaghetti western. reminded me immediately of hamlet because, uh, sometimes your dead/dying parent gets you into the cycle of violence. harris's writing is SO gutting and efficient and the relationship between racine and anaia made me fucking insane. anaia i love youuuuuuuuuuu. also like hamlet, this is one of those plays that makes you feel bad. as in, i turned the last page and i was like. jesus christ. my day might be ruined? highly recommend
WHAT TO SEND UP WHEN IT GOES DOWN
You know what I mean by "it," right?
"It" equals some terrible thing.
Some "bang-bang" thing.
Some wrong color thing.
The shit that don't stop.
Since it don't stop
we are always before and after it going down.
You feel me?
It happened yesterday and it will happen tomorrow
We find ourselves between the happenings.
no idea how to review this one and i don't think it's mine to review anyhow. part plays-within-plays, part monologue, part ritual of healing, part celebration of black life and power. i would really love to see this one; as beautifully-done as it is on the page, i can't imagine how it would feel to witness. definitely going to be on the lookout for more of harris's work (god i wish theater was easier to get one's hands on).
April 21, 2022
I received a complimentary copy.
It’s just kind of hard to get through and the really strong tones are going to appeal to more to other readers. It’s got a mixed feeling and leaves it till the end.
It’s just kind of hard to get through and the really strong tones are going to appeal to more to other readers. It’s got a mixed feeling and leaves it till the end.
September 5, 2022
Is God Is - 4 stars
What to Send Up When It Goes Down - 2.5 stars
I immensely enjoyed Is God Is, I would assume that it's as much an experience to watch as it is to read.
What to Send Up When It Goes Down was much harder for me to connect to on paper. If I were to experience it in person, I would probably be deeply moved, but I think since so much of the play seems to stem from audience participation in the ritual/workshop, something can get a bit lost when you're reading it alone. And yet another important entry in the canon of black playwrights who are carving out space for themselves and their communities.
What to Send Up When It Goes Down - 2.5 stars
I immensely enjoyed Is God Is, I would assume that it's as much an experience to watch as it is to read.
What to Send Up When It Goes Down was much harder for me to connect to on paper. If I were to experience it in person, I would probably be deeply moved, but I think since so much of the play seems to stem from audience participation in the ritual/workshop, something can get a bit lost when you're reading it alone. And yet another important entry in the canon of black playwrights who are carving out space for themselves and their communities.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews