Nilaja Sun Livens Up the Jersey Shore with “No Child”

A play within a play within a play is how Nilaja Sun describes No Child. Sun brings to life 16 characters including, students, their family members, a janitor, principal, and a security guard in a run down school in the Bronx, NY. With only 3 chairs, no costume changes, and a back drop of the school, Sun along with director Hal Brooks makes the process a one person show seem simple.

No Child by Nilaja Sun

Sun has a story to tell, and she tells it well with a strong comedy to match. No Child is based on her experience as a teaching artist in the New York City public school system. She uses her body and tone variations to distinguish each character and ethnicities.

Nilaja mastered her art form and the characters that she plays. She is intense, funny, and hilariously skilled as she takes us on a journey of her life, educational system, and the realities the students have to face.

Nilaja narrates the story through the eyes of a janitor, who in the beginning gives the audience a view of the unfortunate reality in the public New York school system. To enter the school, the janitor talks about “two metal-detecting machines, five school guards, two armed police officers, and seven metal-detecting wands.”

Ms. Sun attempts to get 10th-graders to learn, analyze, and perform Our Country’s Good, a play by Timberlake Wertenbaker’s about prisoners in Australia. However, the task is not going to be easy.

Sun is faced with a classroom full of students who’s never done a play before and not really willing to do it. But somehow, despite the hardship of getting them to work together, she gets the job done.

No Child gives a broad view on what goes on in the educational system: underpaid teachers, undeserved students, and even tackles the “No Child” left behind policy. This story is not just for educators, but a story with a massive lesson: Sometimes in life, we are all educators so who is really accountable?

In conjunction with the production, Two River will work with local students to create an original play, inspired by the themes of No Child. In this intensive 12-week program, participating students work with professional teaching artists to create a play drawn from their own lives, experiences, and questions about the world. Students will have the opportunity to work with Nilaja Sun on the play. The play back will be announced at a later date.

Everyone that lives in the local area and in and around the tri-state area should come to out see Nilaja Sun. Unheard Voices gives No Child and Nijala’s magnificent performance five shining stars and two thumbs up.

No Child runs until November 20th at the Two River Theater in Red Bank, NJ. For more information please visit the ttheate’s website