Long noted for the excellence of its live dramatic work, Congo Square Theatre Company branched out and began offering digital content in 2020. Partly a response to the impact remote learning had on parents during Covid, the company brainstormed outlets for expressing rampant parental frustration during the epidemic. At the time, director Anthony Irons; the father of two, also expressed a desire to make broader comments about what’s happening in the world and “develop the voice of the Congo”. With his background in sketch comedy, Irons believed satire could be the ideal vehicle to achieve all of these goals and Hit ‘Em on the Blackside was born. An online series that scans the socio-political landscape through the cultural lens of Black America, each episode acts as a capsule of insight wrapped in satirical humor. Soon to complete its fourth season on December 29th and now rebranded as simply The Blackside; the series handily fills a niche for anyone looking for an alternative perspective on the many influences that touch our daily lives.
Ronald L. Connor, Kelvin Roston, Jr. and Alexis Roston make up the core of actors prominently featured in many of the skits. Often listed as providing either writing or directing credit, Irons’ touch reveals itself behind the camera.
Running from two to five minutes in length, each sketch looks at a highly topical aspect of contemporary life. Whether it deals with sports in How do Black People Watch the Draft or a parody on our concerns about maintaining a healthy diet in Cheat Day, virtually every episode lands in very interesting territory. Usually it’s the potency of the skit or the way actors fill their characters that makes a particular episode memorably enjoyable. Often in season four’s cache of offerings, Alexis Roston acts as a reliable catalyst to ignite the flame of humor. Perhaps it’s her look of subversive mischief that enlivens the characters she plays. Or maybe it’s that playful disregard for banal convention in her tonal delivery that carries such a clear note of individual authenticity. Whatever its source, her energy works to add that touch of recognition, dimension and relatability so central to making satire effective.
Like all comedy, how each episode is received is completely subjective. Some skits will immediately resonate. Others like Allergies Can Kill might generate considered pause. Each of them will stimulate our awareness as well as amuse. Celebrated Chicago artist, Richard Hunt, said he chose sculpting as his medium of expression because sculptor changes with every angle from which its viewed. Engaging the perspective and consciousness of Black America; the mirror The Blackside holds up to life accomplishes a similar result; enriching our collective dialog in the process.
The Blackside
Congo Square Theatre Company
Season Four Episodes: https://www.congosquaretheatre.org/theblackside
