Black Picture Show
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Black Picture Show is a play written by Bill Gunn at the height of the Black Arts Movement, in 1975. Clive Barnes of The New York Times described it as having "brilliant writing". The play deals with the conversations between an aging, mentally ill Black screenwriter, playwright, and poet and his son, also an artist. It was also published as a book.[1]
Alexander, the father, is trying to create artwork that is both politically and artistically meaningful, while also being commercially successful. His son, J.D., is focused on making bold, unconventional art.
The clash between the father and son's approaches drives the story of Black Picture Show. The play has a poetic, absurdist style and uses techniques from film, turning a family drama into an avant-garde theatrical piece.[2] The way Gunn's play is structured also explores the challenge Black artists face in deciding whether to make experimental or more mainstream work.
