Review: The Black Wolfe Tone Asks, Did Ireland Make This Man Insane?

In our current age of TikTok therapists and wellness influencers, mental illness is an increasingly popular, though not always compelling, topic for art. The Black Wolfe Tone, now at the Irish Repertory Theatre (and a co-production of Fishamble: The New Play Company), examines how racism and generational trauma can affect mental health as much as genetics and disorders. Playwright Kwaku Fortune’s solo show invokes deep emotion and sympathy, while not shying away from the challenges of supporting people with mental illness.

We meet Kevin (Fortune) at a turning point. He has been confined in a mental institution for weeks, after being deemed a danger to himself and others. Now he has a chance to get out, if he can convince a team of doctors that he can handle being on his own. Kevin addresses the audience directly, explaining that we are a creation of his own mind. This isn’t the most original conceit, but thankfully it’s handled with a light enough touch that it enhances the play instead of becoming annoying. His plea to the audience is the same one to his doctors: Listen to my life story and tell me if you think I can function on my own. More broadly, he’s asking if he is “crazy,” or if his mental state is understandable based on his past experiences.

Fortune’s delivery of the direct-address, stream-of-consciousness musings recalls other Irish writers and playwrights. Using it to examine a Black man’s mental illness is an intriguing blend of reinvention and homage. How much potential danger Kevin poses is slowly revealed to the audience in a well-crafted narrative. It’s both dramatically engaging and realistic to the highs and lows of a manic-depressive mind.

Despite showing a high degree of self-awareness, it seems likely that getting pushed out of this nest will result in Kevin being squashed on the ground instead of taking flight. At the same time, we root for his freedom. Fortune’s performance builds empathy throughout, making us want the character to heal and be welcomed in society as much as we feel he probably needs to stay where he is.

The lighting by Adam Honoré stands out among solid production elements, capturing Kevin’s mental state and instantly broadcasting it to us. The sound design by Denis Clohessy enhances the effectiveness. The direction by Nicola Murphy Dubey and set design by Maree Kearns also work together seamlessly, giving just enough context that the audience can imagine the rest of the scene. A spare tree becomes a full hedgerow where Kevin hides during an escape. A concrete bench becomes a doctor’s desk that Kevin climbs on top of to deliver an oration. In using every inch of the stage, Kevin’s journey is fully rendered. The only negative is that sometimes our sight lines are blocked by a column or the audience’s heads, but these moments are brief.

As well as everything gels, there are a few moments that miss the mark. One is in the title: I’m not really sure how Kevin’s story relates to that of Theobald Wolfe Tone, a figure in the Irish independence movement who secured help from the French for an Irish revolution but was ultimately arrested and died in jail. Sure, Kevin wants freedom from the mental hospital and Irish society’s racism, but that feels like a loose connection to Tone, and too little on which to hang this narrative. Irish audiences might not need it (this New York production is the world premiere) but making those connections explicit might have helped the Americans fully realize the parallels.

The scope of the piece stays small, but, considering it is only 65 minutes, it satisfies in a brief amount of time. The Black Wolfe Tone is an arresting and thought-provoking look into one man’s life.