Review: ‘Slave Play. Not a Movie. A Play.’
There’s an air of self-awareness that permeates throughout the duration of Jeremy O. Harris‘ Slave Play. Not a Movie. A Play, one that keeps the film, which charts the journey of the making of the play from early workshop footage to the 74th Tony Awards (where Slave Play received 12 nominations,) from being just another vanity project.
It’s always a tricky thing when the subject of a film or a documentary is too involved in the making of said film – see Jennifer Lopez‘s recent This is Me … Now visual album and documentary (both of which have their charm, as the mostly positive reviews they received would indicate), or Madonna‘s planned biopic (which she planned to write and direct herself) that never ended up materializing (although there have been murmurs about a potential revival of the project as of late.) However, despite being the subject matter and director, even assisting with the editing process of the film, which the film gives us an extensive look at, Slave Play. Not a Movie. A Play. is much more introspective than one would expect going into it.
And while the title of the film (and the play itself) may be too on the nose for some, the film (as is the play itself) is anything but. Rather than going for shock factor or sensationalism, which he could have very easily done considering the subject matter of the play and the dramatic response it has elicited since its Broadway debut in 2019, Harris is more interested in examining this specific experience of his life, this particular moment of his career, as an outsider and an observer. We even see moments of him sitting in the editing suite alongside editor Pete Ohs, reminiscing on some of these moments, bringing a meta approach to the film that’s as wryly funny as it is genuinely moving. This self-reflective approach not only adds layers to the film but also invites the audience to join Harris in his journey of artistic self-discovery, blurring the lines between creator and creation in a way that feels both fresh and emotionally resonant.
There’s also a sense of irreverence to Slave Play. Not a Movie. A Play. that feels like it was designed to exist on purpose. Harris wants the audience to sit in the moments that we wouldn’t get to experience as an audience member of the play itself; the awkward silence between rehearsals during the early workshop days, the tense, sometimes confrontational conversations that went on behind the scenes regarding the play’s tricky subject matter, the casual conversations that happen in between questions during interview segments (which we see more of, by the way, than the actual interviews.)
Harris even goes so far as to ask his interviewees what they think the documentary he’s making is about. Some respond with his time at Yale, others with his experience of building the play. One interviewee, however, responds with what is most likely the most correct answer: “I don’t think you know what this film is about!” However, despite its abstract nature, the film never meanders, thanks to Harris’ unique voice and off-brand sense of humor. Throughout its 80-minute runtime, Harris cycles through everything from his internet search history to even his thoughts on DEI workshops, sharing his brutally honest opinions (“I might say something that could get me canceled,” he says at one point) and insights with us.
The film truly shines, however, when it focuses on the behind the scenes process of bringing Slave Play to the stage. Harris knows exactly the kind of play he wants to make and just how to make it, explaining his artistic vision to his cast and crew in a direct, concise manner – but never overbearingly so, giving them the creative freedom to explore and find their characters within their performances. Harris also gives his cast their moments in the spotlight, allowing them to open up about their pasts, careers and upbringings – and even their reservations when it comes to the content of the play (one of the actors brought in to workshop the play refers to it as “porn,” while one of the white actresses openly speaks about her discomfort with the more controversial aspects of the play.) Harris also allows himself to be humanized, showing us the aftermath of Slave Play‘s surprising losses at the Tony Awards (it lost all 12 of the nominations it received.) Holding on to his niece’s hands, Harris tearfully speaks about the vulnerability it took to allow himself to believe that he could win, making for one of the more powerful, cathartic moments of the documentary.
One of the most stirring moments in the film, however, involves a discussion between Harris and Ohs, as they discuss the differences between plays and films. Aside from the spontaneous nature of plays, in which unpredictability lies at every corner, they are also fleeting, captured only in the collective memories of the audience (and pro-recordings, in some cases) as opposed to the eternal nature of films, which continue to live on far after the writers, directors, producers and actors involved cease to exist. “No one can stop a movie,” says Harris at one point while discussing his reluctance to have Slave Play adapted into a film, referring to one of the very first scenes of the documentary in which a heckler interrupts him mid-conversation on-stage to express her frustrations at the portrayal of white women in the play. And while a film adaptation of Slave Play may not ever come to fruition, the play (and the hard work, blood, sweat and tears that went into making it) will live on through this film, forever immortalized like a portrait or snapshot of a time and era to be revisited for many years to come.
Ultimately, Slave Play. Not a Movie. A Play. is many, sometimes contradictory, things; a character study of Harris as a creative but also a time capsule of the workshopping process of the play, a celebration of Slave Play and its success but also an elegy for this specific time and moment of Harris’ career, an in-depth look into what it takes to develop a play that ends up scoring 12 Tony nominations but also an experimental, avant-garde portrait of a complex figure who would rather keep his audience on their toes, eagerly anticipating his next move. Coinciding with the West End production of the play, which just started its run, Slave Play. Not a Movie. A Play. closes the chapter on this era of Harris’ career, signifying the end of an era but also a new beginning for the creative. It’ll be undoubtedly interesting to see what he does next.
5/5
Slave Play. Not a Movie. A Play. is now streaming on Max.
Ahmad W.
Aspiring critic and poster designer.