Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Joe Turner’s Come and Gone by August Wilson is a reissue published by Penguin on October 30, 1988. This 112-page work presents a compelling narrative centered around Harold Loomis, who arrives at a black Pittsburgh boarding house after enduring seven years of labor on Joe Turner’s chain gang. Although he is physically free, Loomis grapples with the emotional scars of his past and a profound sense of alienation, setting the stage for a complex exploration of identity and belonging.
Readers will find that the play delves into the intricacies of the African-American experience in the 20th century, as Loomis interacts with the other residents of the boarding house. His journey is marked by a search for his estranged wife, which ultimately leads him to confront deeper questions about his place in a changing world. The drama is infused with jazz influences, enhancing its rich portrayal of social dynamics and personal struggles within the context of ethnic studies and American literature.
Official synopsis Publisher
From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Fences comes Joe Turner’s Come and Gone—Winner of the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play.
“The glow accompanying August Wilson’s place in contemporary American theater is fixed.”—Toni Morrison
When Harold Loomis arrives at a black Pittsburgh boardinghouse after seven years’ impressed labor on Joe Turner’s chain gang, he is a free man—in body. But the scars of his enslavement and a sense of inescapable alienation oppress his spirit still, and the seemingly hospitable rooming house seethes with tension and distrust in the presence of this tormented stranger. Loomis is looking for the wife he left behind, believing that she can help him reclaim his old identity. But through his encounters with the other residents he begins to realize that what he really seeks is his rightful place in a new world—and it will take more than the skill of the local “People Finder” to discover it.
This jazz-influenced drama is a moving narrative of African-American experience in the 20th century.
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