Review: ‘The Rock & the Hard Place’ is a harrowing look at race and our justice system

The Essential Theatre Play Festival is currently celebrating its silver anniversary with an important production of Emily McClain’s The Rock & the Hard Place, on stage at 7 Stages Theatre through September 1. The admirable mission of Essential is to feature original works by Georgia playwrights, as well as productions of familiar plays not seen in the area for a while. McClain’s play won the 2024 Essential Theatre Playwriting Award, and it is easy to see why it did so. It is harrowing, nerve-racking and disturbing — everything good drama should be.

Elsie Tully (Indya Bussey) is the daughter of Alan (Roger Payano), who is condemned to die by lethal injection in three weeks for the murder of a co-worker, a crime he adamantly denies committing. Alan has been incarcerated for the past 23 years and is all but resigned to his fate. His daughter, however, is not. Elsie is determined to prove her father’s innocence, whatever the cost, but she is growing frustrated with the justice system as well as with her attorney, Rashida (Mala Bhattacharya).

Meanwhile, her friend, Russell (Chase Steven Anderson), is a charming nerd who makes his naive intentions known, but Elsie is forever turning down his overtures and doesn’t understand why he can’t realize the importance of trying to free a man whom she believes is innocent.  

Then, a letter from an anonymous source arrives for Elsie. It is a signed deathbed confession from a man who writes, in detail, what he did while murdering the female victim. Letter in hand, Elsie barges in to see her new attorney, Jeremy (Durell Brown), who informs her that, under state law, this is inadmissible, and he will not take her case. Next, Elsie shows the letter to her dad during a prison visit overseen by the yard guard (Ali Bhamani). 

Alan is certain the letter will, at the very least, get him a stay of execution and eventually exonerate him. So Elsie goes to see Jeremy again. Unfortunately, this is where I must leave off — but audience members can look forward to breathtaking changes in the story and an absolutely devastating ending. To divulge the last 30 minutes of this great play would be, well, criminal.

The plight of wrongly convicted felons, especially those of color, is a never-ending story that even in 2024 sees no signs of righting itself. It’s an infuriating miscarriage of justice, and the play hits you with how this very truth is right before your eyes.

While its meaning is rich, the production itself is practically bare — scenery by Adam Pagdon consists of a few tables, chairs and one wall with two doors. The lighting by Harley Gould is effective and frequently matches the intensity of the plot, and the same can be said for projections by Victoria Nation  and sound effects by Fred Philp. 

Director Kyle Brumley is deserving of praise for moving the play through its many scenes at a breathtaking pace and never letting up on the tension until the ultimate climax. All seven actors do excellent work. There is not a false moment; the audience never catches anyone “acting.” As the obsessive daughter, Bussey gives an outstanding performance. She is a walking exposed nerve, well on her way to a breakdown and/or possible self-destruction, and she carries her role with a passion that must be seen.

Wonderfully directed and with a cast that could not be better, McClain and Essential Theatre have set the bar to a high standard.

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Jeffrey Bruce, originally from New York, has been an actor/director for many years in both touring and regional companies and trained with Sanford Meisner and Bill Hickey. After performing in South Florida for the past three decades, he now calls Atlanta his home.