They say, “behind every good man is a great woman,” and in Stanley Ann, The Unlikely Story of Barack Obama’s Mother, we get the chance observe the life of the woman behind our 44th president. Ann Noble is absolutely fantastic as Stanley Ann, delivering one of the most passionate performances I have ever seen. As a young Stanley, she is anxious, jittery, and talks a mile a minute. However, as time passes we see her grow into a highly intelligent and eloquent woman, though skeptical of her life in Indonesia.
The performance is made up of a series of one-sided conversations, as she pantomimes with characters that are not there, including a young Barack. It is here that she shows her true strength and grace, showing bravery that few people are capable of when she decides to make some necessary changes. The play is good, and the acting is terrific, but be aware that you are signing up for an intellectual show, as sometimes it seems more like a seminar than a play. Depending on your tastes, this is not a bad thing.
Running time: 90 minutes
Stanley Ann, information and tickets
