By Tanya Batson-Savage, Freelance Writer
Deborah (Aretha Ruddock), plays a woman troubled by tragedy in 'Hairpeace'.
THE MONTEGO Bay Little Theatre Movement (MLTM) brought their rendition of Janice Lee Liddell's Hairpeace to Kingston on Sunday, where it was staged at the Pantry Playhouse in New Kingston for two shows. The story combines issues of friendship and womanhood with the politics of hair.
A MEDLEY OF ISSUES
Lee Liddell's play provides a medley of issues concerning womanhood. The most obvious is the hair issue, which is really a political one. Indeed, it is about more than hair: it is about being a woman, as the hair becomes largely symbolic. Along with the issues of hair and womanhood, African-American food rituals are also tied in. As a result, most of the scenes include food, often as a reference point. Food is used as a way of separating the two generations, showing their attitudes and displaying anxieties.
Hairpeace deals with four women, Deborah (Aretha Ruddock), Stephanie (Althea Hewitt), Aisha (Makeda Solomon) and Carmen (Shelly Whittingham). The four, now pushing 40, have been friends since childhood. Their story also takes in their relationships with their mothers as well as their friendship's ability to withstand tragedy.
Hairpeace is directed by Fabian Thomas, who goes for realism with this piece, even allowing one character to light up a cigarette on stage. Set design and construction were also admirable and managed to be effective, though three settings were needed on the small Pantry stage.
MARRIED ROLES
Along with his director duties, Thomas married roles as set designer and cast member. The role called for him to appear in drag. Interestingly, he plays a woman, not a man dressed up as a woman, and was an absolute delight on the stage, threatening to steal the spotlight with each appearance.
Thomas plays Mrs. Williams, a very outspoken, saucy woman. She is the kind of woman who will not take lip, but she will gladly give it. From his first appearance on the stage, in part because he is in drag, Thomas has the audience eating from his palm. Thomas apparently does not know how to leave drama well enough alone, either as an actor or director. So, even in the highly emotional moments, his character tends to lighten the moment with humour.
The cast was generally a good one, though a few of the characters shone brighter than others. Ruddock gave a fair performance, though the African-American accent seemed to be giving her some trouble. Nonetheless, she gave a convincing portrayal of a woman troubled by tragedy and not coping with it very well.
Solomon gave a very strong performance, exuding the strength of character necessary to make the role of the semi-militant Aisha believable. Hewitt also gave an engaging, unaffected performance. Though Whittingham was the last of the four friends to take the stage, when she arrived she shone beautifully, giving a performance that had been worth the wait.
PERFECTLY SUITED
Carlene Dewar was perfectly suited to the role of Mrs. Allen and so captured the part effortlessly. Christina Millford's role was largely not very demanding, with the exception of a single moment, and she lived up to it admirably.
The play fell short however, with the flow of dialogue. There were too many moments which seemed as though the characters had forgot what was to be said next, as they lagged uncertainly. As such, the direction could have been cleaner and tighter.
The result was an engaging production filled with social commentary that handsomely married drama and comedy.
