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Ten Square
What would happen if the American government decided to write a check to all the descendants of slaves by way of apology? MPAACT playwright-in-residence Aakhu’s dystopian vision of a post-reparations Chicago offers a bleak answer: money spent quickly and unwisely, the erection of slums that none may enter or leave and martial law.
Never less than interesting, Aakhu’s new play serves as a powerful cautionary tale. The most triumphant and daring moments—and there are many—simply depict day-to-day life on a barricaded South Side. But far too much time is spent on the sniper protagonist’s meandering family drama, which can’t beat the compelling premise. Like many such alternate histories, Ten Square has a better backstory than plot, from which a half hour of running time needs to be trimmed. Another hitch: Leonard House as Roosevelt, the sniper with a heart of gold, doesn’t quite nail the gravitas of a man transformed from reluctant killer to blazing revolutionary.
The design elements take a cue from the script’s uncompromising politics. Jessica Kuehnau creates an imposing fortress-wall set and a desert floor with literal sand, in which literal lines are drawn. The sound design, by Aakhu and Theodore Berry, is often intrusive, but effective during violent gunshots and screaming. For all the production’s missteps, Ten Square is ambitious as hell and deserves to be seen and discussed. It feels truly dangerous, and how many plays can claim that?
