REVIEW: Handful of Henna
By Irenosen Okojie, the Precious Arts Critic Intern
Handful of Henna by Rani Moorthy is an exciting, magical, story of discovery,
homecoming and adventure for a mother and daughter. The play is an exquisitely
rendered production touching on themes of generational and cultural gaps,
reconnecting with loved ones and the healing, mystical power of henna.
Nasreen, a precocious, spirited 13 year-old, resents going back home to the family village with her mother Saheeda, who hasn’t seen the homeland she longs for since she left as a young bride. She and Nasreen return for a family wedding. Unable to text her friends and welcomed by the monsoon rain, Nasreen is unprepared for the journey to come. With the assistance of her 'colourful' aunties, a secret garden of hidden dreams, neighbours and grandparents, she’s soon on course to experience the joy, mischief, fear and wonder of rediscovering her mother.
The play is based on the real stories of Muslim women, not surprising as it has a wonderfully authentic feel to it, being both grounded in reality yet possessing a touch of magic dust. It rings true, is funny and evocative and bursts with songs, dance and excellent characterisations. There isn’t a dull moment in this gem. The spare stage is cleverly used, the actresses riff off each other brilliantly and the story moves at a swift pace. The clash of cultures is expertly explored; Nasreen is thoroughly British and feels no affinity with her homeland while displacement haunts Saheeda both in the UK and her native land.
Rochi Rampal is so good as a sulky, resentful teenager you forget
it’s a grown woman playing the part and Bharti Patel as her mother delivers
a beautiful, broken, performance that covers a gamut of emotions. Nimmi
Harasgama as Saheeda’s aunt and Sohm Kapila playing her childhood friend
bring excellent, light, comic relief to the stage. The use of memories
is cannily done, they come alive in the present so the characters watch
their past unfold before their very eyes, so well executed the audience
is transported, the story shifting between present and past.
There are dark moments too: Saheeda’s nightmares and the painful past she’s
kept buried.
Award nominated actress and writer Rani Moorthy has created a
play that’s poignant and vivid. The themes depicted are universal and transcending.
There’s little to fault in this production that runs like a well oiled
machine. It’s enchanting, now all it deserves are bigger stages and larger
audiences.
REVIEW: 1867
By Irenosen Okojie, the Precious Arts Critic Intern
1867, based on an extraordinary
figure from America’s past is, ironically reflective of modern multi cultural
London; an Asian director, a white playwright
and a predominantly black cast. The play written by Theresa Roche is a
play of firsts. This is Roche’s debut inspired by the true story of America’s
first female self-made millionaire, Madam CJ Walker. Roche and Palladini
productions do a good job of breathing life into a story that has gathered
dust between the pages of American history books.
Madame CJ Walker was a black woman who made her name and fortune by selling her own range of hair care products and cosmetics. The play centres on Delilah McAndrew, the Walker reincarnation and starts by depicting her humble beginnings and her struggle to create a better life for herself. Delilah, a child of former slaves is a heroine that the audience immediately connects with; an illiterate laundry maid who dares to want the moon.
The early part of the play is full of frenetic snapshots of the young Delilah’s life. Projected images hover above as though they too will fill the stage and yet appear conflictingly distant in their black and white style, the set is minimal and actors burst on and off like precocious gusts of wind. As the play transitions from one period of Delilah’s life to another it just gets better and better. By turns comical, heartbreaking and moving, Roche has produced a well written, engrossing play and apart from the occasional slip into an English accent by one or two actors, the performances overall do her writing justice.
The two actresses who play the young and older Delilah (Isaura Barbe Brown and Aja Huston) give fantastic performances and Tanya Lauretta Duff who plays Victoria Da Silva, a businesswoman responsible for Delilah’s first break, almost pulls off a show-stealing performance.
Houston as Delilah in her womanhood and all it entails, captures her spirit, ambition, fearlessness, tenacity and vulnerability. Possessing all the ingredients of a champion, she is brilliantly human and flawed; her battles are not only racial but fascinating from a feminist perspective. She is a woman fighting against the odds, a tireless advocate of black causes who makes her presence felt all the way to the White House.
By the end of the play you want to know even more about Delilah; to smooth the peaks and troughs of her character with the palm of your hand, to hold her still. A fitting tribute to Madame CJ Walker, an inspiration the moon still smiles for.
4 out of 5 stars.
REVIEW: Havana Rakatan
By PJ Cobham
Back
in London for a fourth season, Ballet Rakatan grace the stage again in
a glorious fusion of Afro-Latin rhythms, history and dance.
Founded in 2001 by young director and choreographer, Nilda Guerra, whose vision was to create a place where young dancers could be nurtured and their talent recognised, Havana Rakatan is the end result. What we are treated to is a melee of intricate dance combinations and an introduction to the wonder that is Afro-Cuban music.
On stage throughout is the brilliant band, no note is wasted, no beat forgotten as the history of Cuba and its colonial past unfold through a visual slideshow, depicting the journey in pictures of not only the country and its struggles, but the wealth of music that Cuba is hailed for.
The first half of the performance takes the audience right back to the beginning. We are introduced to a beautiful flamenco dancer, who as she sashays around the stage, marks her territory. Every sleight of hand, every gesture is deliberate, lived and breathed. African beats are then introduced to the intricacies of overtly Latin dance. As the journey continues we are treated to Guateque the story of births, deaths and marriages; a tale of community spirit, this is quickly followed by Cuban Son sounds; everybody is having a good time, everyone wants to move. Seduction, courting and mischeif fill the air.
The second half doesn’t disappoint either. Mambo Ay, Ay, Ay with its syncopated rhythms takes us back to the Havana of the 1940’s. An obvious answer to the American Cotton Club, sex sizzles here and the cabaret glitzy backdrop only adds to the decadent feel. As we continue to travel through the decades we are indulged by the informal and spontaneous Mambo; the traditional Bolero with its roots in Spanish and Afro-beats culminating in the Salsa Rakatan.
But we mustn’t forget that amongst the excitement we have lead vocalists Geidy Chapman and Michel Antonio Gonzales Pacheco. Chapman is particularly engaging as she “shakes what her mother gave her” to a very appreciative crowd.
If I had to pick out any obvious flaws it would be that more attention should have been paid to the narrative. Its' weakness draws attention to weaker sequences in the show. But it’s hard to begrudge Guerra and her company for what they have done; which is to put on an incredible show. An absolute must see.
4 out of 5
Peacock Theatre, Holborn, WC2A 2HT
Buy
Tickets/0844 412 4322 to 6 March 2010
Hedda
reviewed by Irenosen Okojie, the Precious Arts Critic Intern
Based on Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen’s classic 1890 text, this new adaptation
by Terje Tveit takes to the stage. Often regarded as the female “Hamlet”,
the monstrosity that is Hedda Gabler still fascinates, toying with acquaintances
and family members the way a God does with mere mortals. However, at just
over two hours long with no interval, cleverly woven intricacies and nuances
may go over your head.
Fresh from her honeymoon and feeling increasingly restless and discontent, Hedda wrestles with a hungry, dangerous emptiness lying in wait. When a catalyst
in the shape of a school friend arrives with news of a former acquaintance,
events snowball, spiralling out of control, resulting in tragic consequences.
Hedda is atmospheric and disturbing, a feeling of claustrophobia pervades.
There are clever metaphorical reflections of Hedda’s cluttered mind reflected
in the set. The dim, hollow lighting that grows appropriately brighter
or darker throughout the production, the sea of crumpled white paper
littering the stage which crinkles with secrets, seemingly closing in.
The music is foreboding. Warning signs, the mist effect that shrouds
the actors, a cloud hanging over their heads and of course the omnipresence
that is Hedda.
There have been many depictions of this iconic play. It is a delicious, dramatic role; the play is hers, so unapologetically ruthless, so defiantly cruel. Actress Sarah Head’s portrayal is commanding, restrained and sexy. Portraying a woman whose thirst for power and manipulation knows no bounds. This Hedda is not a victim. She sheds new light on the term “alpha female.” as she controls her witless husband with such effortless disdain, ripping her friend Thea to shreds for daring to have a relationship with writer Eilert Lovborg, the mysterious man from Hedda’s past and for her own amusement, her strange relationship with family friend Brack, which borders on foreplay, is sexually charged and ominous.
Sporadically gripping with some lovely threads, it is at times difficult viewing purely because of it’s length. It needs either an intermission or cutting down. Some of the more underwhelming scenes could have been taken out to make for a tighter production. This version, even stripped of period clutter still felt weighty. There is no real context as to why Hedda is the way she is. From an audience perspective, she would have been a more rounded character had elements of that been woven in.
Ibsen’s play still feels relevant but it would be interesting to see a truly modern adaptation of the play. If like me your concentration span peaks at just over an hour, you may need a back up plan to stop yourself drifting off.
3 out of 5.
Hedda at the Riverside Studios
Tickets: 0208 237 1111 to 14th February
Introducing Irenosen
Meet the first participant on the PRECIOUS Arts Critic Programme
We
are delighted to introduce our first recruit to the PRECIOUS Arts Critic
Programme - Irenosen Okojie.
Irenosen is a London based freelance writer and joins the programme immediately.
The PRECIOUS Arts Critic programme gives two emerging writers
the opportunity to see and critique a range of theatre work in London and
attempt to explore the cultural context of art reviewing. Participants
will also have access to mentoring and exclusive access to some of our
stakeholders and supporters.
On being told that she had gained a place on the programme Irenosen said that she was: "Delighted! Genuinely surprised." she continued, "It's a great opportunity to see new work and I'm really excited about working with the Precious team. I've been given free reign to put my stamp on the programme so how that manifests should be interesting!"
We asked her to provide a brief profile and this is what she said: When she's not gorging on books and pop culture, she can be found slumped in the back seats of retro cinemas, hunched over her laptop feeding an obsession for Korean and Japanese films, scrawling illegibly in notebooks at random locations. And stumbling out of intimate music venues with the alcohol drenched words of revellers clinging to her coat lapels. If you spot her on the streets of London engaging in sporadic bursts of movement, do not be alarmed. She is probably shocking out to the blast of Fela Kuti, Hendricks and Jeff Buckley in her ears.
The Precious team is really looking forward to working with her!
Irenosen will be documenting her progress and experiences on the programme via her new blog: http://soberinthecauldron.blogspot.com/ please support new writing talent by following her.
Precious Arts Team's Royal Engagement
On Friday 20th November, The Precious Arts Team,Jackie Cobham (pictured second from left) and Amardeep Sohi(pictured fourth from left), made the journey up to Stratford-upon-Avon for a very special engagement. HRH Prince of Wales was making his annual visit to the Royal Shakespeare Company, for which he is patron.
This particular visit focused on showcasing the RSC’s Craft Apprenticeship and Arts Journalism schemes to HRH. As alumni of the RSC’s arts journalist bursary scheme, Jackie and Amardeep were invited to speak to HRH the Prince of Wales about their time on the scheme. The scheme provided them with access to the RSC’s productions and practitioners with the aim of developing their careers and simultaneously broadening the demographic of the RSC’s audiences.
Amidst tea and cake they discussed being arts journalists, the newspaper industry and their individual experiences of working with the RSC. It proved to be a thoroughly enjoyable experience for the Precious Arts Team and the perfect way to mark the end of their most magnificent year.
To find out more about the Royal Shakespeare Company and their
apprenticeships visit www.rsc.org.uk
REVIEW: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
by Amber YeshPaul
The Broadway hit ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’ has finally touched down in London, but you probably know that already, right? The buzz about the Tennessee Williams play has been steadily mounting and it seems like everyone’s talking about it!.
Directed by the legendary Debbie Allen this is one of those rare plays that London hasn’t really seen before with a stellar cast not only comprised entirely of black actors, but featuring four of Black Hollywood’s finest A Listers. Phylicia Rashad is transformed as Big Mama, Sanaa Lathan is captivating as Maggie ‘The Cat’ and James Earl Jones is perfect as cantankerous Big Daddy. Not forgetting our very own Adrian Lester, who simmers as Big Daddy’s eldest and favourite son, Brick.
The story centres on a well off Southern family and it’s patriarch, Big Daddy, who is celebrating his 65th birthday. He thinks he’s just got a clean bill of health from the doctor however he’s actually dying of cancer. Some of his family know, some don’t, but everyone is keeping secrets and peoples true intentions and own stories are slowly unravelled. The audience are taken through themes of death, betrayal, homosexuality and most prominently, mendacity, which incidentally is a key word throughout the performance.
It could perhaps seem even more impressive because this play features pure acting skill, no songs or big dance numbers to hide behind. It’s just the actors, their script and the audience. Despite being almost 3 hours long with 2 intervals, the show is enthralling and the characters’ individual storylines weave into an intricate performance that you’ll find yourself relating to and empathising with.
What makes this play special is that it was originally written for an all white cast and the story is probably best remembered from the 1958 film with Elizabeth Taylor & Paul Newman. It has only recently been adapted for a black audience by Debbie Allen in 2008, when she brought it to Broadway with Terrence Howard as Brick and Anika Noni Rose (Dreamgirls) as Maggie. Jones and Rashad are the only remaining cast members from that run. Although it would be natural to think that the play needed to be adapted heavily for it to translate to a black family, the story is so universal and the themes so relevant to all people, that it really is very similar to it’s original form.
If you’re not a lover of wordy, lengthy plays that you have to concentrate on, then maybe this isn’t one for you. However, if you’re up to being intellectually stimulated by some of Hollywood’s best actors and a few of our home-grown talents, in a play that will tickle your senses and your emotions, I encourage you to get down to the Novello Theatre some time between now and April 2010!
Book tickets here
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