"A Soldiers Play," by Charles Fuller, was presented by the Negro Ensemble Company in New York City in 1981, and went on to win a Pulitzer Prize. A film version, retitled "A Soldiers Story," was directed by Norman Jewison. This play takes place in 1944 (during World War II) at Fort Neal, Louisiana. Fuller takes us into an all-Black unit, commanded by a white officer, in the segregated army.The play begins with the murder of one of its principal characters: Tech/Sergeant Vernon Waters, by an unknown killer. Waters story is recreated in flashbacks; the play is essentially the story behind the investigation into the crime. The situation on the base, which is already hot with racial tension, intensifies when an African-American officer is assigned to the case.
Fuller has taken an explosive combination of elements and from them fashioned a truly gripping piece of dramatic art. Suspense, vivid dialogue, memorable characters, and penetrating insights all combine to make this a truly remarkable play. This is also one of those excellent plays which also succeeds as a text for readers.
This is a compelling look at the tensions and controversies surrounding the segregated army. Fuller is particularly effective at demonstrating the corrosive effects of racism on both Blacks and whites. Waters is one of the most powerfully tragic figures in all of American drama. I highly recommend "A Soldiers Play"; it is one of the great literary works about military life.
