America has a lot of problems. From foreign policy to environmental issues, there are many things to worry about. Some attribute the causes to outside factors, while others believe the roots of the problems stem from a weak infrastructure. A collapsing educational system is arguably one of our biggest problems, affecting the lives of millions of Americans.
"No Child," now playing at the American Repertory Theatre (ART), is a play that indirectly confronts the American educational system in the form of a one-woman show. Written and acted by Nilaja Sun, "No Child" tells the story of a Bronx high school class. It is poignant, funny and refreshing.
Popular hip-hop and rap songs fill the theater as the audience files in. Songs such as Jay-Z's "Dirt Off Your Shoulder" create a unique atmosphere most likely unexpected by the Shakespeare-enthusiast theatergoer. Although the purpose is to set the mood of the Bronx, it serves only as an irritation, causing eyes to dart around searching for the source of the obnoxiously loud bass. The majority of audience members are not frequent frat party attendees, so Jay-Z's indisputable charm is mostly lost in this particular venue.
"No Child" begins with Nilaja Sun, a teaching artist attempting to direct a play, "Our Country's Good," with a 10th grade class at Malcolm X High School in the Bronx. According to the principal, Mrs. Kennedy, this particular class is one of the worst in the school and almost impossible to control. Students stroll in late, monkey around and clearly refuse to learn. Controlling the students and earning their respect becomes the main challenge for Sun, a concept not foreign to the realm of film and theater.
Remarkably, Sun plays not only herself but every other role as well. As the play progresses, Sun seamlessly transitions into a multitude of characters, captivating the audience with each transformation. She flawlessly converts from Shandrika Jones, the sassy "actress" of the class, to Phillip, the slow and mumbling boy. She also perfectly embodies Jerome, the typical class delinquent with a quick mouth who was held back for a couple of years.
Sun's students represent an array of personalities, showing a wide range of emotions from arrogance to timidity to humility. While at times outrageously hilarious, they are simultaneously suffering. During the play, Sun decides to quit being a teaching artist because of the class's unwillingness to learn. In an almost cliché moment, Jerome, the "bad" kid, shyly approaches Sun and asks her to stay.
Nilaja Sun based this play on her experiences as a teaching artist in New York City public schools. Through her nine years of teaching drama, she accumulated much insight and numerous personal stories surrounding the public school system. Sun transforms effortlessly into more than 20 characters including herself, the school janitor, the principal and a classroom of students. She gives personality and breathes life into each character.
Sun's creativity doesn't end with her wide range of characters. The format of "No Child" is just as innovative. It is a play within a play within a play. The play the class puts on is about Australian convicts putting on a play. Through the performance's construction, the parallels between the students and the convicts they impersonate become clear. The students are like convicts themselves, frequently expressing how society expects them to fail, of how they feel trapped in their neighborhood and of how the courses of their lives seem to already be decided.
In addition, the school janitor acts as the interlocutor between the classroom and the audience. He guides the viewers through different scenes, adding his opinions to the narration.
In the opening scene, the janitor speaks of giving the audience a real glimpse of life in the Bronx, but all the characters that Sun impersonates seem to be tinged with stereotypes. Some characters and dialogue seem to be inspired by Antonio Banderas' recent movie "Take the Lead" (2006). Despite the slightly cliché personalities, "No Child" still effectively delivers its message.
"No Child" never directly attacks the Bush administration's No Child Left Behind Act. Instead, it portrays an educational system spiraling downward as a result of the policy. For example, Shandrika, one of the students, is forbidden to enter the school by a security guard after setting off the metal detectors at the school entrance and forgetting her ID. Jerome, despite showing signs of improvement, eventually falls through the cracks of the flawed education system. The play speaks not only of the federal government failing students, but also of society, teachers and the students themselves.
Despite its critique of the federal act, the play ends on a hopeful note with the janitor singing to himself, "I had almost lost my way, but the sun's gonna shine on my back door someday."
