Emergence-See!

Daniel Beaty's one-man meditation on race, class, history and society doesn't waste time building up to its central premise. A slave ship has emerged from the Hudson River in New York, right in front of the Statue of Liberty, and everyone has something to say about it.

White people are feeling compelled to apologise to black colleague for the sins of their ancestors; news crews are scrabbling to find 'slave-ologists' to provide analysis; Rodney and his brother are rushing to the scene after learning that their mentally ill father has climbed aboard.

Meanwhile, a poetry slam begins in Harlem, a Jamaican man muses in the park about the colour of bones, and a tour guide nonchalantly leads visitors around a slavery museum.

There's plenty to chew on - the murder of Rodney's mother at the hands of a hoodlum left her widower with a negative view of his fellow blacks that he is forced to confront, and the play also explores the debates surrounding reparations, victimhood and the teaching of black history in schools.

While there are some strong pieces of characterisation - particularly Rodney's self-conscious gay younger brother and poetry slam hostess Sharita - there's also some repetition of mannerisms and voices. Arguably Beaty is a better writer than performer, but in a more intimate space making the audience connect with his characters would be a far less daunting task.