On opening night at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, actor-writer Jacob Ming-Trent had the audience in thrall from the very first moments of his world premiere solo show, “How Shakespeare Saved My Life.”
In a mustard-yellow suit and matching shoes, he strode confidently from the house to the stage and early on designated us confidantes and “congregation.”
We were more than willing to play that role, shouting in unison “Play on!” whenever he gave us the cue. (Later in the play, the audience also obediently shouted, once again on cue and in unison, “You should play Othello! You should play Othello!” It felt like a call-and-response in church.)
Written by Ming-Trent and directed by Tony Taccone (former Berkeley Rep artistic director), the almost-two-hour-long show is funny, horrifying and endearing, sometimes all at once.
At the age of 12, Jacob is suddenly man of the house because his drug addict father has left. His cold and withholding mother warns him that, as a Black kid, “You’re in permanent danger.”
By age 15, when he objects to her remarriage plans, she kicks him out, leaving him completely homeless. She never lets him return.
But in eighth grade, his school’s Shakespeare teacher — who also happens to be the football coach, hilariously portrayed by Ming-Trent with a piercing whistle on a chain around his neck — changes his life. From that moment on, he introduces himself to everyone as “a Shakespearean actor,” confidently matter-of-fact.
He’s also confidently matter-of-fact about God, calling him on a wall telephone for instructions on how to pursue his career. “Jacob, my chubby brown brother,” sighs God. (Later, in existential despair, he also prays to Mr. James Baldwin.)
Ming-Trent’s fast-moving story comprises an invigorating mix of original rhyming couplets, inspired rap (with reverential references to hip-hop icons such the late Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls), segments of dialogue and soliloquys from many Shakespeare plays as well as at least one sonnet.
How truly autobiographical his story is, we don’t know. Did he really join a street gang whose members have names like Toilet, Popeye and Backwash? When the gang jumped him in, violently, “It felt like love to me,” he says. And the horrific things that happened to him after that, including jail, an overdose and more: True or not, they comprise a powerful story of one man’s wobbly triumph over adversity.
Taccone has proven, with other solo autobiographical shows he’s directed, that he’s relentless in drawing the deepest thoughts and feelings from his star performers, while never letting them wallow in sentimentality. Such is the case here. In Ming-Trent, he has partnered with an open-hearted actor who excels at creating a whole assortment of characters—his parents, a grandmother, teachers, friends and more.
A scenic design by Takeshi Kata, of continuous projected images, and some simple set pieces, complete the stage picture without ever taking the focus away from Ming-Trent.
“Is it better to be safe or free?” Jacob wonders at one point.
At another, he suspects he shouldn’t have needed a 400-year-old white man to rescue him from the life he might have led.
His deep connection to the Bard — the way he brings every fiber of his Black, funny, beautifully generous self to Shakespeare — feels like a gift.
“How Shakespeare Saved My Life” runs through March 1 in Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s Peet’s Theatre, 2025 Addison St., Berkeley. Tickets are $25-$101 at berkeleyrep.org.