A savage critique of the stultifying expectations of modern women in this family farce affair from Nouveau Riche.
At its core Brendaโs Got a Baby is a play about expectations. Ama (Uwajeh), a successful career woman in her late 20s seemingly has it all going for her: a recent promotion at work and the keys to a new house. Yet, between her god-fearing sister, the women at her work and a chance encounter with an old school acquaintance, the eponymous Brenda, mother of five, Ama lives in the shadow of the expectations of others, made to feel as if her life is somehow incomplete without a child. After her relationship with her flighty partner Dami ends on her 29th birthday, she makes the decision to ensure she has a child in a year.
Hagan is a talented playwright with an ability to balance big ideas with comedic flourishes. Here she lays out the tightrope that modern women have to tread, acknowledging that being independent, successful at work and financially secure often feel incompatible with the pressure to have a nuclear family. The script is supported by a well-balanced cast, clearly delighting in the nuance that their characters have. Uwajeh captures Amaโs frustration, bewilderment and despair beautifully, moving from manic to morose fluidly. Asante brings grace and poise to the piece, an emotional anchor for her daughters as well as the audience.
In some ways, the play is a mess, TK Hays stage a mess of jigsaw pieces that donโt always fit and the play has a big tonal shift, flitting from comedy to psychological thriller. One suspects that the mess is very much the point, illuminating, as it does, the breakdown of Amaโs ordered thinking and belief in following conventions. In one telling exchange, Ama asks why choice seems to be a luxury. In the playโs denouement, we see that Ama is able to have it all but by that point it is clear that the cost is not worth the sacrifice.
Check out more from New Diorama Theatre| Find out more about Nouveau Riche | Anastasia Osei-Kuffour | Jessica Hagan
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